Never Saw the Sun
by Jinn Twins
Summary: Two twins are found on Tatooine with extraordinary Force potential, they are found by Qui Gon Jinn and Padawan Xanatos and taken to Coruscant to be trained. Very AU, please R&R. Rated for violence, language, and a dark plot. WIP.
1. Into the Hands of Destiny

DISCLAIMER: bows to Lucas They aren't ours. We wish they were, but they're not...unfortunately. I wish I owned Qui. We're just...borrowing. And if anyone tells you credits will do fine, they will NOT! However, most characters you don't recognize will be our original characters, the twins, for example. Have a nice day.

Just so you know, this storyline is set to start a few years before Xanatos leaves Qui-Gon Jinn. This could go under the genre Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, but it won't, since this story extends to the Great Jedi Purge or so. It should, when we finish writing it, at least.

So enjoy.

* * *

**Into the Hands of Destiny**

Sand was whipping everywhere, cutting through what might have been a beautiful sunset of the twin suns of Tatooine. Out of the blurry cloud staggered a young woman, unknowing of where she was going and tired from struggling the fierce storm. The sand stung her eyes, only adding to the pain of her extremely pregnant state. She managed to look above her in time to see the large wall she almost had collided into, and follow along it until she reached a door. Weary and swaying on her feet, she knocked heavily on the door, having to throw her entire body onto the rough metal surface to make sufficient noise to alert those inside of her presence.

As the door she was leaning on swung inwards, she fell in with it, sprawling out on the floor, twisting on her side to prevent her distended stomach from hitting the hard floor. As she lay there, gasping, she felt two hands roughly grabbing her shoulders, but then she saw or felt no more, for her exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she fainted.

The two door guards had flipped her on her back to get a good look at her, when a tall Twi'lek woman walked over to them and looked down at her with disdain. "She'll make a good slave, Master Hajja will likely find her useful, especially since she comes with soon-to-be newborns... Excellent. She needs medical help, take her to the medic's rooms, and be careful of her. We don't want to hurt our new possessions, now do we?"

Nodding, the guards hoisted her up onto their shoulders and carried her off down a small hallway. When they reached the quarters of the old woman who served as the doctor to all the slaves in the household, they kicked open the door and deposited her on the bed, then, without checking in at all, stalked out the door. After making sure that they hadn't been there to cause any trouble for her, S'ratha, the medic, stood up from her small corner to take a look at her new patient.

She didn't look good at all. Her breathing was rough and ragged still, her stomach huge and distended. When she awoke several minutes later, her face took on an immediate grimace from the pain. "Twins... save them. I don't matter...My children...please..."

She could only whisper, and soon only gasp out broken breaths. S'ratha stroked her head, trying to calm her, anything to help save this woman.

"Shhhh... you'll be fine, it's not that bad. You were lucky to find us when you did, though. We'll save you, all of you. Don't worry... don't worry." She kept talking to her until the serious contractions began, and then forced her concern to more important matters.

The childbirth was long and painful, the young woman screaming the whole time from lack of pain medication. The first child came out alright, but the second was more difficult, prolonging the poor woman's pain far more than anyone should have to endure. But as the screams died down, S'ratha brought the two little girls up by their mother's head so that she could see them for the first time. Somehow, they both knew that it would likely be the last as well, for she was obviously dying. S'ratha figured that she may as well try to discover some information about who these twins might be, asking the young woman her name.

"I'm- Marea. From Naboo." she whispered.

"Who was the father?" S'ratha asked the dying woman.

"No... father. I- don't know what happened. Care for them for me."

S'ratha could feel her patient slipping away from her. She needed to find out the names of the girls, but Marea was dying quickly now.

"The twins- What are their names?"

Marea took a couple of gasping breaths, now nearly unable to speak at all. When she did, it was so quietly that S'ratha could only understand part of what she said.

"Ele- Kai- my little girls...I love-"

Her head rolled back onto the makeshift hospital bed where she lay as the life fled her body. S'ratha looked down at the now sleeping girls in her arms, unaware of the death of their mother. Ele- the older, and Kai the younger. Not very full names, but good enough for slaves.

As that thought struck her, she instinctively hugged the twins closer to her chest. They would indeed become slaves, with no mother and no father. Slavery was a brutal life for newborns, but with protection they might survive. And she knew what she had to do. The twins were hers now, she had failed their mother, and would repay that by watching after her twins. They likely wouldn't be too much of a hassle, and S'ratha knew how valuable to young girls like that could be.

Well, she'd best report the presence of the new additions to her Hutt master's collection. Wrapping the two into a blanket and laying them on the bed, she quietly walked out of her rooms towards the central buildings of the complex where she would be more likely to find the Hutt, or even better, Ebri, the Twi'lek slave who managed most of the goings-on at the residence.

When she returned to the rooms later, she found the twins awake, but not crying or squirming, but merely holding onto each other, looking deep into each other's eyes. Hopefully they'd stay like this, not cause her too much grief caring for them, now that she had been officially assigned the duty of caring for them, along with her previous work. Ah, well, that's the story of a slave's life...

The babies didn't make a sound all night, merely lay there together, seemingly engrossed in each other. Between them they sent impressions of the world around them, as well as a strong feeling from something that tied them together, to each other and to everything around them. It kept them warm and happy, comforted with a sense that nothing could hurt them now. Though they didn't know any words, they communicated in their own way through this vast resource of power, reinforcing the bond between them that had formed even before their birth.

They settled happily into this new world and situation quickly, and learned to love and trust the woman that cared for them, even though they somehow knew that she was not their mother. But as they started to grow, they began to learn more of the unpleasantries of the world around them, but they, born from suffering as they were, learned how to live with it... and indeed began to flourish in the warm Tatooine sun.

* * *

We know! It's an odd story... But it's ours!  
And you won't find one like it _anywhere_. Promise.  
We promise you also that it's based on the wonderful world of Star Wars...what else?

So tune in later!  
We should have an update by next week, two weeks max, since exams are coming! Please R&R, we'll owe you lifedebts if you give us good advice...

-Yavië and Anij Jinn, aka Jinn Twins


	2. The Sound of Footsteps

DISCLAIMER: GEORGE LUCAS WE LOVE YOU! Not that that does anything for me, I don't own the characters but could rant on and on about how I wished I did but I'll stop so you can keep your sanity you're welcome.

Alright... the twins are six when we peek in on them here...still slaves, I see...

As always, enjoy!

* * *

**Sound of Footsteps**

**SIX YEARS LATER**

"**Kai!** For the last time, **stop!**" came an exasperated woman's voice.

"But S'ratha..." a female child-like voice, still oddly mature for her age, but childlike all the same, came and met her ears.

"That is _quite _enough, my young lady. Down!"

Obeying the older healer for once, the young girl jumped down from the roof, quickly followed by her twin, Ele. Kai stood up proudly and smiled, a mischevious glint in her eyes.

"How many times have I told you not to jump like that? You could break a leg, fall...anything could happen, foolish child!" S'ratha knew very well that neither of them had ever fallen or broken anything in their life, nor would they fall. They always seemed to have their acts put together or be at the right place at the right time. How, she knew not, only that it happened. Quite often. Once, she had even gotten her implant almost removed... for herself and Ele.

Watching the two march off to the slave quarters hand in hand, she recalled the day they were born. The woman's agonzing screams and shrieks of pain still haunted her, as did the eerie silence of the twins who were still that close.

* * *

"Bring me the girls," a massive voice issued. This voice belonged to the huge Hutt, Hajja. He was a cross one, not only large but with an even larger temper. Surrounded by scantily clad girls of many races, he turned his attention to their attire and lack thereof. A few moments later, Kai and Ele, showing no fear, were brought into his presence.

Without a word, the girls were communicating. In their minds, they could hear each other. In their thoughts, they could sense that which was unknown.

"You have been incredibly persistent in your efforts lately, girls... Here is your... _reward_." Motioning a man forward, a laser whip snaked out, brightening the smoky and dark room. The whip-wielder expected screams, as was usual, particularly from youngsters, but these children offered no entertainment at all. They did not cry out, simply faced their punishment. To his amazement, whenever he tried to whip either of them, one of the girls would always dive, take the blow, saving her sister from this. Finally, the meaty Hutt gave the whip-master what he wanted. With a hand signal, he flipped the whip on lethal. Enough of these blows could-and would-kill.

_It should only take about three times to kill a child, so I'll stop at two._. he paused. He had children at home.

The girl sitting behind her sister, protected, said quietly, yet at the same time loudly for everyone to hear them,

"You do not want to do this. We can go home now."

To no one's amazement, since they were all captivated by the spell put over them with the girl's voice, Hajja the Hutt responded saying, "I don't want to kill you. Go home."

With that, they were literally thrown out. Kai could barely walk, and was bleeding from sustained exposure to lasers, particularly a weaponized form.

* * *

"Ow... ow... it hurts..." Kai was moaning, now well past mere pain and bleeding into the point where she could no longer clearly think, delirious. Ele sat by her side, holding her hand, as her body temperature dropped and heart rate increased with each passing moment. She was going into a laser-induced form of shock. S'ratha tried her best, but then turned to Ele.

"I can help her no longer. Do as you deem fit," she ordered the young slave. Nodding, Ele placed her hands on her twin, carefully gathering the energy from within her...

* * *

Hours later, Ele was exhausted, totally drained of energy. The healing had taken its toll. But in return, Kai was sleeping instead of being in her near-comatose state. Anything to make her better. The tired girl slumped to the cold stone floor, falling to her knees and then collapsing forward, at the same time sensing a small disturbance as she closed her eyes.

In her dreams, she saw things through a distorted haze--the future perhaps?

A woman dragged herself and Kai through the corridors, yelling something.

A man in woolen robes stood before a Hutt.

Twin beams of light reflected blaster fire.

Two small starships took off into flight.

Sadness.

Joy.

Love.

Attachment.

Adoration.

Wonder.

And finally... returned love, the feel of being cared for in return...

* * *

Rough hands grabbed a shook the little girl on the floor awake.

"Huh?" the child asked, in protest, when her eyes at last fluttered open.

"Up! Now, slave. You're going to your new home," ordered the man, now backed by another, the one with the whip from before. With only a glance she saw her sister, firmly held in yet another man's grasp. She still had a needle protruding from her arm; apparently she had been drugged. The man who had awoken her had sandy blond hair and cruel steel-grey eyes, much like herself and her sister.

"Where? Is S'ratha coming?" she asked, quick to adapt to the situation at hand.

"Just come on!" yelled the man, exasperated. Grabbing her again, he threw her over his shoulder.

"S'ratha! **S'ratha!**" Ele's urgent cries filled the air.

Nearby, the old woman heard the yells and cries; knew what was going on. With a sigh of sadness she restrained herself from running to them. The more they resisted, the harder Jabba the Hutt would be on the poor girls.

Whispering, she let out a pent-up breath as the screams began to recede.

"I'm sorry, Marea... so sorry..." with that tears began to flow freely, droplets hitting the dry and dusty surface of the floor as sobs racked S'ratha's body.

* * *

Yeah. I'm mean.

Sorry I have to stop here, but I did promise a quick update. And so... ta da!

Here you are. Enjoy it... there may not be another chapter posted for about a week.

Please. Hang in there.

And we've arranged it so Yavie writes the odd-number chapters, I (Anij) write the even number chapters.

And...guess what... Qui-Gon comes next chapter! Yay!

So we'll be back soon. This wasn't the greatest chapter ever, but it serves as a turning point in the girls' lives.

-Anij Jinn


	3. Crossing Paths

Disclaimer: Although sometimes we act like it, and really wish it were so, no, we don't own Star Wars. The Great Flanneled One does. We love you, George... But again, I'm not sure why exactly you'd want them, but Kai and Ele are ours, if you ever do feel the odd urge to use them for something, just ask. Tell us it's the will of the Force and that the midichlorians told you and we'll be fine with it.

Notes: text in italics are thoughts, if they're in /s, they're private thoughts, in :s, they're shared, indicating namely a mental bond between the twins. The colons were not my idea, actually, they're from Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar novels. (if you don't know what those are, just smile and nod)

Sorry it took so long to update, i was kind of busy and ADD. Thanks for the nice reviews, keep them up... please?

* * *

**CROSSING PATHS  
**

The two girls huddled together in their new room, really not much more than a cell. Kai was now tossing and turning in her sleep, a fever beginning to grip her. Ele knelt by her side, hand on her twin's forehead, trying to calm her and help her through their bond, yet it didn't seem to help. Hajja had beaten her too far this time, and sent them to a Hutt with an even worse reputation. Jabba the Hutt, infamous crime lord of Tatooine, keeper and abuser of slaves, and their new owner. Life was not looking good.

As the dawn arose the next morning, the locked doors of the girl's room swung open to allow in Bib Fortuna to stalk in over the now-sleeping figures. Prodding them awake with his booted foot, he dragged them to their feet and pushed them out the door in front of him. They stumbled along, not having the slightest idea where they were going, only turning where the pale Twi'lek prodded them to go, until they reached a cavernous room which could only be one thing... Jabba's throne room.

Gigantic and slug-like, the humongous Hutt sat on his even larger throne, surrounded by chained slaves and servants. Loud music had just stopped playing, and two scantily clad Twi'lek dancers were carefully edging away from the center of the room, and the space directly in front of Jabba's throne. The twins were thrown down onto the dirty, rough floor, brought to their knees before their master, who just sat there, laughing loudly.

"Hehehehehe... two young ones. Gooooood. We will break them, will we not?"

The court around him twittered in anticipation.

"But first... first we will test them, see if they are broken already. They are to attend to our _honored_ guests."

He nodded towards two cloaked figures in a far corner of the room. When the girls turned to look at them, they could see nothing of their faces, not even what species they were, though they had a humanoid form.

"They will be shown our guest's rooms, but will have to figure everything out for themselves. Fail at all at any task, and I won't be as easy on you as your old Master. Now remove these piles of bantha fodder from my sight."

Two nameless guards yanked them up again, and drug them towards the door, Ele managing to shake them off and walk on her own, supporting her sister's near dead weight on her shoulder. The two robed figures silently fell into step behind them as the would their way through the maze of Jabba's palace. When they arrived at a door on a level far above the ground, away from Jabba's rooms, the guards stepped back, bowed to the guests, and walked off with an air of caution towards the ones they were leaving in the hall. The figures walked carefully around the girls, and holding them out of the way of the swinging door, walked into their guest accommodations, pulling the twins after them.

* * *

Once inside, they took off their hoods to reveal that they were both human males. The tall one had long brown hair pulled into an elegant half-ponytail, with a fringe of a beard framing his face, and an odd sense of calm that surrounded him. The shorter, and obviously far younger, had piercing light blue eyes and long, dark, raven-black hair that was brushed close to his head save for a single long braid hanging from behind his right ear. Kai in particular looked up at them in fear, for she was not at all trusting, her life as a slave since birth had taught her that, but Ele was more...curious, looking deep into the eyes of the elder, almost seeming to reach out with her mind to feel these guests they were to serve.

After a moment of silence, the tall one cleared his throat, gesturing towards a chair.

"Sit down. What are your names?"

Now nervous, the two girls stood rooted in place. The tension was almost tangible, as well as the fear coming out of the girls. :_We must follow our orders, Kai: _Ele sent a message through the bond that their twinship gave them.

_:I'll deal with them, they'll regret messing with us, i won't let them hurt you...: _came the response. _:No, Kai, you're not thinking clearly. And it's...odd... they don't seem like they mean to hurt us. Go sit, and I'll talk with them: _Grudgingly but exhaustedly all the same Kai sat down in the proffered chair, obeying her older sister's authority. This time.

"My name is Ele, and this is Kai, my younger twin. How may we serve you?" She bowed stiffly, only barely civil, she did NOT like anyone who would associate with slave owners.

"Greetings, then, young ones. I am Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my apprentice, Xanatos deCrion. We're here as ambassadors from the Republic Senate, trying to deal with the issue of slavery on this planet. I sense that you resent us for being here, having to wait on us, but please, we're here to help you."

Ele still looked suspicious, moving close to her sister. Yet somehow she felt that she could trust the two men, or at least the tall one, Qui-Gon,he had said his name was. But she was distracted by Kai new wave of pain and fever that came flowing out of her. Rushing over to where she sat, slumped over in the chair, she stroked her forehead, trying to pour her own strength into her, help her, relieve the pain... anything she could do. This was her fault, Kai had blocked the blows meant for her, taken them upon herself... she was slipping now, had given too much of herself, now she would pass out for exhaustion. She did this almost every time that Kai was beaten so badly, she should have learned not to overexert, but Kai always felt better afterwards,so it was worth it.

As she had almost let go, falling into a well of darkness, she felt herself caught by a flash of pure white light, warm and supporting, that sang to her and gave her energy. It flowed around her, everywhere, into Kai, healing and numbing her wounds and fever. It was in the guests as well, they essentially glowed, the tall one so bright in a white glow that she could barely see him. He knelt over Kai, pouring his light onto her, giving strength to both of them.

* * *

Now more energized, Ele looked around her to see that everyone was surrounded in a blazing, though slightly different, auras. As she had noticed before Qui-Gon was glowing white, by far the brightest of the four. His apprentice, Xanatos, was slightly darker, there seemed to be deep shadows whirling around him, red and black mingling with the white and grey, somehow giving Ele a most uncomfortable feeling. Kai was a fiery red, dark and thick with her pain and anger. Looking at herself, she glowed white, piercingly so, almost to the point of being blinding, though she was tinted with a warm green.

Wrapping around her mind was a powerful entity, sinking in, letting itself be known to the girls, filling their awarenesses with new strength and power. :_What is it: _she wondered, not knowing if she spoke with her true voice or through this new power. A chorus of millions of voices sang to her, from within her very being. _:The Force. We are the Living Force, we are part of you. We shall never release you...: _She knew it was true, and glancing at her twin, she saw that she did too, as the auras slowly faded, and she started to feel exhaustion taking her again, but a warm, peaceful tiredness, not the falling feeling she had earlier...

When she awoke, she was startled to find that she was curled up on one of the beds next to a man that she didn't recognize. Wait a second, no, he was the one they were to be waiting on... yes. Qui-Gon Jinn, he said his name was. Funny name, she had never heard anything like it. She sat bolt upright, looking for her sister, until she saw her laying on the bed beside the other one, with the black hair the one that had had the scary aura. She looked far better now, her wounds were healed. _:That cant be right, healed? She had a fever last i checked. Kai? KAI: _She heard a sleepy mumble from the corner as her sister sat up. _:Ele? Where- where are we? Who are these people? WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH US: _Standing up abruptly, she was only restrained by the man-Xanatos, his name was, Ele remembered now- as he stroked her hair in an attempt to calm her.

She broke free of his grasp, running over to her sister and throwing her arms around her, yanking her from the gentle grasp of the man holding her.

"What are you doing? Get away from my sister!"

Seeing that her twin was far better, Ele put her in a firm headlock to stop her struggling, and was rewarded with a whack on the shoulder. "Kai! Calm down, Kai, they're going to help us." Her words made no effect, and her sister started to kick out wildly around her, landing some on Ele, some on furniture, as well as a fair share on the still serene Jedi Master in front of the two. Ele realized what she was doing, and knew that if though Kai had healed, somehow, the next beating would likely be lethal.

"KAI! You're attacking guests, masters! If you do anything, likely even a far smaller disrespect than this, you'll get beaten again, and worse this time. Kai, they will have no hesitations on killing you, beating you to death! Kai, LISTEN TO ME!"

"No! I don't care! I don't want to do anything, I don't want to be a good little slave, I-"

Mortified at her younger twin's unnatural outburst, Ele started to reach for anything she find- and found the power that surrounded them, that had spoken to her, told her it was called the Force. She reached deep into it, found its peace, and sent it out to Kai in heavy waves. "Relax..." Astonishingly, Kai suddenly quieted and hunkered on the floor. Qui-Gon looked at her in surprise, a sober expression on his face. Now fearing what she and her sister had done, she fell immediately to the floor, bowing low.

"I'm sorry for her behaviour, she can't control herself sometimes, I do the best I can, please don't hurt her, punish me instead, just don't hurt my little sister, please-"

She was silenced by a strong arm pulling her and her sister up onto the bed next to Qui-Gon. He took off his long dark brown robe and wrapped the two in it, then turned to face them.

"You did nothing wrong. The slavery here is an evil thing, we wish we could do more to end it. I do not wish for either of you two to be hurt again. But tell me," Ele quivered in fear, "Tell me how you calmed her there. It is something that few can do, and a young girl such as yourself, with no training... this is almost unheard of."

He placed his large hands on her temples, closing his eyes, then did the same to Kai. After a minute, he withdrew his hands, a thoughtful look on his face. Nervous now, Ele huddled into the edge of his robe, the thick soft wool giving her some small comfort. Kai sat silently, still looking slightly stunned. Watching her sister carefully, she didn't take her gaze away as she spoke in a quiet voice.

"What-what is it, Master Jinn?"

At that, she noticed Xanatos' head jerk up in the corner of her eye. He looked surprised at that, she didn't know why.

"Calm down, Padawan, she doesn't know what that means to us, she didn't mean a Master in that way, that's how slaves are forced to address everyone. I suppose a bit of an explanation is in order."

Xanatos, nodded once, bowed, and sat back down, still alert. Qui-Gon turned back to the two girls to find Ele gripping even tighter to his robe. _/What was this with small, cute, and vulnerable creatures clinging to his robe? Really, almost anything that needs help that I've met hangs on to the robe for their life- but it's fine, rather endearing, especially from these poor little girls. I hope i can help them, there's something I sense in them- I'm doing it again, they're all looking at me expectantly, and I'm staring off into space again, and the hurt one, Kai, is starting to reawaken, and I'm not sure that's a good thing, the little one kicks hard.../ _He rubbed his shin absently where the girl had it it, then suddenly found a hnd at the bottom of his robes as well. He nearly withdrew, for it was Kai gently clinging to **him** now, but he said nothing, only comforted her the best he could as she continued to hold on to his robes.

* * *

"Tell me, have you ever heard of the Jedi?"

Both of the two nodded meekly. "But not much," Kai mumbled, "Only stories." finished her sister.

Qui-Gon sighed. The stories were almost always insanely exaggerated, of either perfect beings that could fix anything, all powerful god-like figures, or demons that used their deadly powers to warp the minds of others and control their lives. Hopefully the girls hadn't heard too much of the latter. "What- kind of stories have you heard?"

"A lot of things." from both, in unison. Definitely twins. "Jedi are people who go on adventures and use the Force-"

"Save people-"

"Fight with lightsabers-"

With that, Kai stopped abruptly and looked down at the belt on the waist she was leaning against. "Lightsabers-"

Ele twisted around to where she could see what Kai was staring fixedly at. "Are you-"

Kai was far more certain about it. "You're a Jedi. That's your apprentice," she pointed up to Xanatos, "and you're here to free the slaves."

He nodded quickly, smiling at the expectant face. "Well, you're correct in two of your three guesses. Yes, I am a Jedi, a master, and yes, Xanatos here is my Padawan learner. But we are not here to free the slaves, I am sorry. However, what you have heard is true, or at least for the most part. Tell me, what do you know of the Force?"

"Not much, it sounds cool, though. Think of everything we could do! We could save all the slaves, kill the Hutts and Jabba and everyone who's hurt us- and I could protect you, Ele, and no one would or could ever beat us again- but we could have revenge for all the pain they've caused us, make them suffer like we have-"

"No." Her sister cut in. "That is not what the Force is for. It's too- light. Pretty, not for pain."

Astonished at her understanding of that simple fact which so few seemed to grasp, Qui-Gon looked down at her, still huddled into his robe, smiling gently. _/She would be a great Jedi, she is obviously compassionate, and for one who has never really heard much of the Force before, she seemed to have a good understanding of it. Her sister, too, she does not totally see the lightness of it, but can obviously learn to use it. Yes, the Force essentially sings from the young girls. I wonder if we can help them.../_

"How do you know this of the Force? Indeed, you seem to grasp a good idea of it."

She buried her face into his robe even deeper, if that was possible, looking suddenly embarrassed. When she spoke, it was in a soft whisper. '

"They told me. I saw it myself."

Blinking, the Jedi Master pulled her head out of the folds of dark cloth and looked her in her dark brown eyes. _/She can hear the midichlorians speak to her? At such a young age, with no training/_

"When was this?"

The young one tried to turn away, but his firm hands wouldn't let her.

"You think I'm crazy, hearing things. That's what they've said before, they say we're both mad, when we sense things, but this time I saw it, I heard them, I really did-"

Qui-Gon released her face, stroking her hair. Looking at Kai, he saw that she was upset as well, she had obviously suffered this too. They had sensed things, she said, and no one here would have accepted it- if they had been born in the Republic, they would have been taken immediately to the Temple to be trained as Jedi. Perhaps they still could take them...

"No, of course not, not at all. You surprised me, it appears that you two both have what might be considered Jedi traits. The voices, they were likely what we call midichlorians, they can tell you of the Force itself. It is unusual that you should hear them at such a young age with so little training, but- I sense that the two of you are very strong in the Force, if the world was perfect, you would be being trained as Jedi right now. You say that you sense things as well?"

"Yes." Both of them answered at once. "It's like a sense that-"

"Something is going to happen-"

"Or is happening-"

"Or that what someone might be thinking."

The two shared each others thoughts, they most likely shared a strong bond through the Force. Incredible... Qui-Gon had to think about it for a while before he came up with an answer.

"You two are very interesting, a mystery. We can investigate this tomorrow, test your abilities. But for now, the two of you look dead tired, likely from your healing earlier. You should sleep soon."

Ele looked up suddenly. "Do we have to leave? I don't-"

Kai reached over and whacked her on the shoulder. "Of course we're leaving, we're strong, remember? We don't need these Jedi to take care of us, we've dealt with anything that comes our way before, we can work together. C'mon, let's go, sis." She jumped off the bed, pulling Ele with her, who looked back at the Jedi hopefully. Qui-Gon looked at the two, chuckling slightly. They were quite a duo, even though he didn't doubt that they could deal with quite a bit, even for their few years, but still-

"I do believe that you can stay with us tonight, remember that you are indeed to be waiting on us. No, you don't need to, but i would feel more comfortable with you here. We have plenty of blankets on the bed, and there is a large couch that you can sleep on. You'll be safer here."

* * *

_:Kai, listen to him, will ya? We can trust them. Please, Kai? It'll be more comfortable, anyways.: _

_:Oh, i just wanted to really hear what you thought, you have good intuition.:_

_:As do you, Kaikai, you're even better at sensing people's thoughts. So you'll stay:_

_:Of course. These blankets look soooooft...:_

The two smiled, and, accepting the blankets that the Jedi were handing them, went over to the couch, laid them out, and then jumped up on it, curling up together, and almost immediately fell asleep. The Jedi soon followed suit, weary from their travels.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, Ele woke up disoriented, confused, she didn't recognize where she was. Looking around for Kai, she saw her curled up at the far end of the couch. Seeing that, she remembered the events of the past day, and started thinking about all she had heard. Reaching out, almost instinctively, she sensed this new Force, and used it to probe around her. Two were asleep- Kai and the Padawan, Xanatos, who somehow gave her an unpleasant feeling- but Qui-Gon was still awake. Sensing his restlessness and concern for the girls, she silently got up off of the couch and snuck over to the bed where he lay under his robe and blanket. Pulling herself up, she wormed her way under the robe, curling up beside him.

Feeling the warmth beside him and the movement of the bed, the Jedi looked down to see the little girl, ruffling her soft, short-cropped hair. Soon, after sending waves of reassurance and calm through the Force to each other, the two fell into a deep peaceful slumber.

* * *

Dum dum DUM DUM dum dum DUM dum dum DUM... I love SW.

We'll update again soon...and everyone say hi to Qui!  
And to Xani...everyone loves him...

Keep the reviews coming!

-Jinn Twins  



	4. Awakened At a Jedi's Touch

Disclaimer: They're not ours, don't sue us. Qui, Xani, Jabba, and other familiar characters all belong to Georgie, but Kai and Ele are ours... hehe. And, sadly, I don't own the QGJ tone poem, which definitely keeps me up at night in bouts of unhappiness...

A/N: sorry about the big delay, here, we've both had final exams this week, and then Anij decided to FINALLY tell me that I'M the one who's supposed to be in control here... and then told me to write the next few chapters. (Big hug for that) Hopefully when school is out, we'll be able to write more... yay. Ok, well, now I'm just stalling writing notes, on to the actual story...

Chapter IV: Awakened at a Jedi's Touch

When Qui-Gon awoke, the first thing that he noticed was an odd warmth by his torso. _/Xani/ _ His Padawan hadn't curled up to him like this in years, this was most unusual. And then, looking down, he remembered the events of the previous day.

They had landed their Starfighters near the outskirts of town, wishing to remain inconspicuous. After hiking into Mos Eisley, they had quickly found Jabba's gargantuan palace, it was the largest structure in the entire city. Still fairly early in the morning, they had completed their negotiations, although they didn't go nearly as well as the Jedi had hoped. Then they had decided to accept the Hutt's hospitality and stay the night in his palace before returning to Coruscant. They had been standing around in his huge throne room getting extremely tired of his perverse entertainments when the two twin human slave girls had been brought in to be inspected. Seemingly in an attempt to impress the Jedi, with their known disapproval of slave trade, the Hutt had been merciful, and sent the two to wait on the Jedi. Qui-Gon had noticed the two stumbling from exhaustion on the journey up to their rooms, that one seemed to have been harshly beaten recently, and that though her bruises and wounds were healing, she seemed feverish and most likely quite ill. Upon introductions to the two, the sick one, Kai, had collapsed, and Ele had rushed over.

This was when both Qui-Gon and Xanatos has truly been surprised. She had started pouring her own life-energy to her sister, channeling the Force into in incredible amounts. Kai's healing progress was almost visible in its rapidity, but at the cost of her sister's energy. They formed a balance, one falling to raise the other. That was when the Jedi had jumped in, pulling at the Force and casting its healing energy throughout the room. At their touch, it seemed like the Force exploded within the two girls, blinding what must have been all sensitives in the area with the sheer power that had been contained within the two.

It was- astonishing, amazing, incredible, to say the least. He had never seen such high Force potential in his life, contained within one being. Well, two beings, but even individually, they shone with incredible Force potential. He should try to test their midichlorians sometime... the healing one, Ele, had even said she had heard them, and at such a young age, it was almost unheard of- The two are amazing, they must be taken to the Jedi Temple to be trained, not just that it would be a shame to let that much potential go to waste, but to think of what it could do, unchecked, unguided, that was a frightening thought. But they would have time to check their midis today, they had all been to tired yesterday.

Which brought him back to the warm lump under the blankets curled up against his chest. _/They're so adorable, both of them. I wonder how they became slaves like this, at such a young age, they deserve a family./ _

Even though he tried to get out of the bed quietly and without moving too much, the girl awoke and immediately sprung out of bed, kneeling on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, sir, I was cold during the night, i had been asleep, and wasn't thinking clearly, I just wanted to go somewhere warm-"

"No, that's fine. And you don't need to call me sir, Qui-Gon will do. Or, if you insist on something seemingly more respectful, Master Jinn will do fine." Now let's wake up your sister and my lazy Padawan."

Nodding, she bowed again. "Yes, Master Jinn, and thank you." With that, she silently walked over to where her sister lay. Climbing silently on top of the back of the couch, after perching right above her sister, she pounced down on her.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Kai rolled over onto her back, catching her falling sister, but instead of holding onto her as the Jedi had expected, she rolled over on her side again, flipping Ele out off of the couch and onto the floor. Responding quickly, Ele grabbed Kai's shoulders, pulling her down to crash onto the floor with a loud thump. Neither of them seemed fazed by the impact, and continued to wrestle, until Kai knelt atop of her elder twin, hands on her throat.

"Yield, sister."

Unexpectedly, Ele smiled broadly. "Great job, Kaikai. You were dead out there a minute ago, good fast reflexes. You're far better at this than I am"

Kai nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, but-" she pressed down a bit harder on her sister's neck- "You didn't yield. Unless You wanted to continue, of course."

Laughing slightly, and deciding that the situation was indeed getting uncomfortable, Ele nodded.

"Alright then, I yield. Accepted?"

Kai released her sister and smiled happily. "Great. Now, where are we?"

After making sure that Xanatos was well on his way to a state of reasonable awareness, Qui-Gon went over and knelt down by the girls so that he was approximately their height.

"You're in the company of two Jedi who would dearly like to help you. You showed that you both have exceptional reflexes just now, and yesterday it appeared that you knew of the Force. These are traits necessary in Jedi."

Both girls looked up at him suddenly. "Traits of-" "Jedi?" Kai finished Ele's sentence and thought. They continued, switching speakers of the same line of thoughts.

"You mean-"

"You want-"

"As Jedi-"

"US?" Both of them exclaimed at once.

Qui-Gon smiled. _/No, there's no hiding anything from either of them. They catch on extremely quickly."_

"Perhaps. The Council might consider you both to be too old, and we have to check your strength in the Force, test you, although the Council will do that, as well... but then, of course, there is the question: Do the two of you even WANT to become Jedi? You would have to leave your home here, and everything that you know."

Kai tilted her head thoughtfully. "Why wouldn't we want to be Jedi? We could be heroes!"

The Master sighed. "It is a hard life. You will train for many years before reaching the rank of a Knight, and even then, you will be sent on missions almost continuously. It is one without reward, the work of a Jedi is to better the galaxy and others, with no thought to themselves. Without remorse, without regret, there is no looking back, Jedi are entirely devoted to their purpose."

Meeting his eyes, Ele nodded. "But it is something that you chose, that you have decided to give yourself to. Do you think we should do the same?"

"A path will be placed before you, as now, you can decide, but the choice is yours alone, I cannot help either of you make that decision. You must do what you think you cannot, a Jedi often pushes themselves to their physical and mental limit on a regular basis. It is a hard life, but you will find out who you are, the Force can show you your true potential, your true self. Are you still as excited?"

Both the girls stared at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Excellent. Xani? I really should go see if I can salvage anything from our negotiations with the Hutt. Would you be willing to do some of the preliminary Force-sensitivity tests on the girls until i get back?"

The young man bowed slightly.

"Yes, Master. Good luck on your negotiations, I have a feeling that you'll need it, the Hutts as they are."

"Thank you, Padawan." With that, he strode briskly out of the room. As the door closed behind him, Xanatos turned to the girls.

"As my Master said, I'm to test your Force abilities. Don't be nervous, you don't need to know much about the Force for the simpler tests. Now, Kai, let's start out with you. Come sit here in front of me, and we'll start your testing."

Nervously, she came forward and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him, while Ele waited by the window for her turn. When both girls had finished, the talked to Xanatos about his life as a Jedi Padawan, until Master Qui-Gon returned.

"How did the negotiations go, Master?"

Qui-Gon sighed. "Same as yesterday, absolutely pointless. And then I tried to ask about the girls, which went over, if this is possible, even less well."

"What did you ask him?"

"If we could take them with us, for undisclosed reasons, to free them, or if we could buy them and free them, with the small amount of money we have. Jabba thinks they're valuable to him, and won't free them, of course, and won't accept the small sum of money that we have. How did the tests go?"

"Quite well, Master. They show high potential, I do agree that we should take them to the Temple for training. But if the Hutt won't let us have him-"

"We'll just have to figure something out, won't we? And before we start making an more detailed plans, are you two sure that you wish to leave and come with us? It might be dangerous just leaving the planet itself."

Kai stepped forward. "Yes, Master Jinn. We don't want to be slaves, anything is better than this, if it has freedom. We want to come with you." Ele nodded emphatically.

"Alright then. We should leave tonight, Xanatos and I need to return to the Temple and report on our negotiations with the Hutts. You're technically not allowed to come with us, so we have several issues to consider. First off, we need to get you out of the palace here, then through Mos Eisley without being seen. Of course, there are also the implants that you have, which should be dealt with before we leave the planet. Do you have any ideas as to how to get them out?"

Smirking slightly, Kai looked up at him. "Of course we do. We almost got them out once, but then one of Hajja's people caught us at it, and beat us for almost getting them out. But with some time with no chance of anyone breaking in on us, and a sharp knife, we can get them out easily. Best not to do it here, though, someone would definitely notice."

Qui-Gon smiled broadly at that. "Well, that gets rid of one of our problems. We could help you get them out back on the ship once we get there. But as for escaping itself, I'm afraid that that's a bit harder. Any ideas?"

There was silence for a moment, until it was broken by Xanatos.

"Sneaking around usually works fairly well. I noticed several back entrances on the way up here, and once the palace is asleep, it shouldn't be all that hard to get out without notice. Out in the city, there'll be more life, but I suppose that we could stick to back alleys and shadows."

"That could work, but it also has more potential to go wrong. Although I don't see many other feasible options, it is quite risky."

"Well, Master, if we can think of nothing else, I guess we'll have to take the risks."

"Alright, then, you have a definite point there, Padawan. We can leave later at night, then, no sense in starting out now. I just hope nothing will go wrong..."

Bib Fortuna bowed before the huge Hutt.

"How may I serve you, O Great Jabba?"

"Hmmmmm... The Jedi. Watch them tonight. I do not trust them, they seemed too interested in those two girls. We wouldn't want them getting away from us, now would we? They're far too valuable."

"Yes, O Jabba. I shall keep an eye on them, and have the guards alert. We will not allow them to escape with our property."

_So sorry that this took so long, this chappy didn't like me. No clue why, but it took forever. I'll try and get the next chapter written soon, but I'm leaving to go to a computerless family gathering on Monday, so I don't know if I can finish and post and time. prays to plot bunny shrine PLEASE review, it helps me write faster. Make the nice authors happy... _

_-Yavië Jinn _


	5. A Minor Obstacle

Disclaimer: You know the drill. They belong to the One in Flannel, not us. Don't sue the nice authors.

Again, apologies for that last update being so slow, this is to make up for it. I'm going to be gone the next couple of days with no hope of writing, so it'll be a while before I can update again. And while it takes seeing Padme alive to bring warm feelings to Master Yoda's heart, it only takes good reviews for us. (hinthint)

Chapter IV: A Minor Obstacle

Xanatos bent over the two girls where they were napping and shook their shoulders.

"Kai, Ele, it's time to go now. Wake up."

Instantly alert, the two sprung out of bed. Silently moving about, they went over to where Qui-Gon was standing by the door. Nodding once, he drew it open, and, without saying a word, stepped into the hallway, his Padawan and the two girls trailing behind noiselessly. Keeping to the back corridors of the humongous palace, guessing at turns, they eventually made their way to a small exit that seemed to be unguarded. As soon as they got out into the open air of the city, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was easy enough so far," whispered Xanatos. "Just like I said, those idiots inside aren't paying any attention at all."

Striding quickly into Jabba's throne room, Bib Fortuna bowed briskly before the Hutt before starting his report.

"The Jedi have left the palace, Lord Jabba, and have taken the girls with them. They haven't been gone long, we can most likely track them easily. What do you wish of us, O Jabba?"

"Find them. Bring them to me, alive." He pointed to some shady-looking figures in a corner. Bounty hunters, and some of Mos Eisley's best. "You will lead them as far as you can. They will take it from there."

Fortuna bowed, and, gesturing to the 6 figures in the corner to follow him, walked briskly back out the doorway where he had come, to the exit the Jedi had used. They would not disappoint their Master.

The back alleys of Mos Eisley were crowded, just as the Jedi had expected. Fortunately for them, since Tatooine was so far from the Republic, they were not recognized as Jedi, and the thick throngs of people provided good cover for all but Qui-Gon, who was tall enough to stand out easily in a crowd. They had decided to slow down to a more relaxed pace, if they traveled too quickly, it would draw attention to themselves, and the twins were not accustomed to running long distances through the city. But when they were almost out of the city, they turned into a dead end street.

It was quieter, there were few people in the cramped alley. Looking around, the Jedi saw most people seeming to avoid it, except for a small group of 4 men. After the group had gotten out of the mainstream traffic, they all reached into their belts and pulled out blasters, facing the Jedi and blocking off the entry to the alley. The one in the center stepped forward.

"Stop there, Jedi, we have you surrounded. There are some more behind you, you'll find it difficult to escape that way. You've got somethings the Great Jabba wants, and he's paying us well to get you to him. Just come quietly and we won't have to hurt you."

"Get your 'saber ready, Xani, but don't use it until necessary." Qui-Gon murmured quietly. "Girls, stay close to us, if blaster bolts start flying, hide behind us. We'll protect you." Then he raised his voice.

"You don't want to bother us. We can continue to our ship undisturbed." As he spoke, he subtly waved his right hand in front of his chest. However, the men just laughed.

"So, Jedi, trying to use your mind tricks? They won't work on us, too bad. We're giving you one more chance to come quietly, Jabba wants you alive, but he didn't say anything about being unharmed."

In response, the Jedi merely pulled out their sabers.

"We do not wish to harm you, but if you force us to, we will. Leave us in peace."

The air was suddenly humming with the sound of blaster shots. Coming from all directions, they rained down upon the Jedi, who were fortunate enough to have ignited their sabers in time, sending them ricocheting back around the alley's walls. Kai and Ele huddled in the dirt at the Jedi's feet, as the two stood tall above them, green and blue sabers flashing brilliantly.

"Concentrate, Padawan, your focus is slipping. Reach out with the Force to sense the bolts coming at you, and try to protect the girls as well, I think that they might be more valuable than either of us."

"Yes, Master, I'm try- AAGH!"

Xanatos crumpled to the ground, clasping his shoulder. A stray bolt had hit him while he was talking, numbing his 'saber arm, and, as another hit his unguarded leg to prevent him from standing, caused him to pass out from the pain. Now Qui-Gon fought alone.

At the sight of his fallen apprentice, the adrenaline from battle in his blood increased twofold, and he deflected blaster bolts with new rush of energy. One flew right back to the man who had shot it, punching into his chest, ripping into his lungs as he fell to the ground. Spinning gracefully, Qui-Gon cut through a man who had ventured to close to his deadly green blade. But still, there were four more men sending bolts his way. And towards the children-

He spared an instant to glance back at where the girls were on the ground by his Padawan. Ele had knelt at his side, and Kai was searching the ground nearby. Turning his attention back to the fight, he was distracted almost immediately by the sight of a blue pillar of light back towards the girls. _/One of the thugs must have gotten Xani's 'saber- this can't be good./_ Looking over his shoulder again, he was startled to see that wielding the blade was Kai, not one of the thugs. The little girl stood over her sister and Xanatos, trying to look menacing, but obviously having almost no idea what to do with the saber.

Seeing the blue blade, the blaster fire started to rain even more in the direction of the girls. Qui-Gon watched in horror as Kai managed to deflect on shot, but the saber was knocked out of her hand and out of reach. It was then that he realized that he hadn't been guarding himself, and in the corner of his eye saw one of the thugs behind him. Spinning around, he noticed that he had powered off his lightsaber in his distraction, even as the thug kicked him in the stomach and hammered his fist into the base of his skull. Hard.

As he fell to the ground, blackness tinging the edges of his vision, the last thing he saw was one of the men, who had been advancing on the girls, flying backwards into a wall, accompanied with a touch in the Force- then he fell into unconsciousness.

Nodding briskly, the thug turned the Jedi over on his back with a heavily booted toe. "Yep, he's out. Conk the girls, will ya?" One of the men strode over to the girls, one of them collapsed on the ground and breathing hard, the other kneeling, unaware, over the other Jedi. Casually, he knocked them both in the head, then picked them up and deposited them next to the Jedi.

"Excellent. How many did we lose?"

"Two, sir, and one unconscious. The rest of us can get the prisoners to the speeder easily enough."

"Good. Now, let's get them back to Jabba, and get our lovely rewards."

When they awoke, the Jedi and the twins found themselves in a small, damp stone room, chained to the walls. Xanatos still had a dead arm and leg from the blaster shots, and Qui-Gon had a splitting headache. Kai was still out cold, and Ele was curled up right next to her, clinging to her sister. Both the Jedi could feel the Force flowing between the two. Thinking this through, while noting that their injuries could be a definite obstacle, Qui-Gon remembered what he had seen Ele do when they had first met. Healing.

"Ele."

Though he spoke only in a low whisper, she jerked her head up suddenly, though she still clung protectively to Kai.

"Yes, Master Jinn?"

_/She still trusts me, although I've landed us in prison and allowed her sister to be hurt. Such young innocence./_

"I was wondering what exactly you were doing with your sister. If it's the same as what you did when we met, it's some type of healing, correct?"

"I- I think it is. It makes her feel better, and sometimes her cuts and bruises even go away. I think it's to do with the Force that you mentioned. It's that power that I felt. I hope I can help her..."

An idea was starting to form in Qui-Gon's head.

"Do you think that you could try it on anyone else, and focus the healing on a certain part of their body? If so, my Padawan looks like he could use some help, and I certainly have quite a headache. Would you be willing to try?"

Looking only slightly daunted, she nodded. "Anything to help. I'll see if i can do anything."

With that, she crawled over to where Xanatos lay sprawled on the floor. Kneeling at his side, she placed her hands over the blaster wound and closed her eyes. Reaching out into the familiar well of power and warmth around her, twining it around her mental fingers, she directed into her hands, and down into the apprentice's shoulder, channeling it through herself. After an indeterminable amount of time, she looked down to see the skin healed together with an almost invisible scar, and, using this odd sixth sense, somehow knew that even under the skin, it was better. Looking around her, she saw that the Padawan was asleep, and Kai and Qui-Gon were watching her intently.

"Like that?" she questioned.

Qui-Gon leaned over as far as he could against his chains.

"Yes... that's incredible. All the more reason to get you out of here and to the Temple. You look absolutely exhausted, i don't think you should try the other wound, though. I daresay that we'll have plenty of time to ourselves here, rest a bit first."

Kai smiled at that. "No, she doesn't really."

"What do you mean? She looks dead on her feet."

Kai crawled over to where Ele was kneeling, and sat so the two faced each other. Ele bowed her head, allowing Kai to place her hands on her temples. Kai drew in the Force around her, letting it flow through her and into her sister. She was perfectly open, a conduit for the power to channel clearly. Linked together, the Force ran between the two girls, giving the weary Ele energy without pulling on the reserves of her sister. Soon, Kai drew her hands away from her sister, embracing her. When she released her, Ele was smiling contentedly.

"Thank you, sister, that worked excellently. I feel far better now."

Amazed, Qui-Gon reached out to sense both the girls. They were full of energy, whereas one had been nearly dead on her feet moments before, and the other not too much better. _/Force knows, they look better than I feel right now. But that was incredible, I've never seen anything like it before. The healing yes, to a point, but never so quickly, or by an untrained six-year-old. But this? It's unheard of, I've never seen anything like it. A transfer of energy where both parties were revitalized by the Force, neither one tired out. This is getting more and more interesting.../_

"How did you do that?"

Both shrugged. "Don't know." answered Kai. "I do it every time that Ele wears herself out trying to heal me after a bad beating. She's usually tired afterwards, as am I, but I can just reach out for that power and direct it into both of us easily enough. Is it a bad thing?"

Qui-Gon chuckled. "No, not at all, young one. Indeed, it appears to be most useful. Do you think you could do it for someone else, not just your twin?"

Kai frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know. I could try it, if you want."

He nodded. "Here, come over to me, see if you can lend me some Force-energy."

She shuffled over, pulling on her chains. She knelt in front of him, as she had done for her sister, and placed her small hands on the sides of his face. Taking a deep breath, she went into what the Jedi master recognized as a light meditative trance, reaching out around her, gathering in the Force. He felt himself being pulled along into a peaceful state, and allowed himself to be pulled willingly, though keeping his Force-senses aware and ready. Using them to look around, he saw the girl in front of him almost glowing, and felt a sudden impact of pure energy and warmth streaming into him. He saw the Force within him as he never had before, strong and reassuring. When Kai broke off the link, he almost wished that the peaceful sensation could have continued forever.

"That was an incredible experience, young one. With some more specific Jedi training, that skill could likely save many lives, and, even as it is, is most useful. I can see why you've learned to utilize it."

He turned to Xanatos to see Ele leaning over the wound in his leg, almost completed with the healing.

"Do you suppose you could do the same for my Padawan?"

Kai smiled broadly this time.

"Of course, Master Jinn. I would be happy to, as soon as Ele finishes with her healing job there."

After everyone was in the best condition possible considering their situation, they leaned up against the walls and just sat and talked for a while, telling stories. Kai and Ele soon dropped off to sleep, tired even for their reenergizing with the Force, and Xanatos soon followed. Qui-Gon, however, sat and meditated for a time, until he, too, decided that, with the uncertain circumstances, some sleep might be in order for him as well.

They were awakened by a loud pounding at the door the next morning. A set of guards strode in, kicking the prisoners awake. Following them was Bib Fortuna.

"The Exalted Jabba wishes to see you. He has some special treatment for the girls there, and for you Jedi- well, if he's merciful, he might kill you quickly and painlessly. Doubtful, though. He doesn't like it when people try and run off with his property."

The guards bent down and fastened iron manacles to the prisoners' wrists, then jerked them to their feet, dragging them out into the hall. Qui-Gon took the lead, with the girls in the middle, and Xanatos bringing up the rear. Fortuna gestured at the guards to follow them, ad they did, pulling the captives in tow behind them through the maze of Jabba's palace. When they reached the door to the throne room, Fortuna turned back to the prisoners. I'm glad to see that you're being so cooperative. It might make this easier for you. Now, we'd best not keep His Excellency waiting, should we?"

With an evil grin, he opened the door.

_I know that Anij shall be much angered by her crazy twin posting yet another chapter without her editing, but that's her problem, right? So here ya go, should keep you occupied until I get back. Please forgive the cliffie, I really didn't mean to, but it's a good stopping point for now. (evil laugh) mwahahaha... (don't listen to crazy sleep-deprived author)_

_-Yavië Jinn _


	6. Saviour, Weapon, Executioner

DISCLAIMER: (singsong-y voice)HEY GEORGE LUCAS! Since it was Christmas and all I got was an iPod shuffle...feel like giving me Star Wars?

Alas, when I called, the line was busy.

So I don't own it. Wish I did. Oh well. I **do** however own rights to Ryoki-Chana, the manga. Muahahaha.

Yeah, sis is gone. So party.

**YOU GET THE INSANE SIS!** w00t w00t.

Oh.  
CHAPTER WARNINGS: Includes very violent themes, if you are under thirteenI would not advise you to read...I will send oh-so-great Annie Skywalker after you. You're allowed to kill him. Please. He shoulda died in the first place. Then I'll send you Mace Windu. DIE! Hee...sorry...sugarhigh at 10:30 pm...

It's Anij...go ahead and tell me my writing sucks. I'm on break, and you're not gonna hurt my feelings. I will simply laugh in your face if you flame me. Honestly. I will...take no offence. Or...better yet...buy me hot cocoa mix or Skittles and send at least one pack. I swear to the Force I will write and update faster until Jan. 3rd, when my twin and I go to school...

* * *

**Saviour, Weapon, Executioner: The first of many blows is given**

The Jedi found themselves bound next to the girls in a line of cool, clanking chains.

"What is to be our fate?" asked Xanatos, the less experienced and obviously more nervous Jedi.

Bib Fortuna grunted, then pulled them roughly to a halt, slapping Xanatos for speaking.

"You Jedi...shall die..." Jabba responded, slightly distracted by the numerous pleasure women gathered around his huge body, attending to all the things that were unspeakable to younger ones at the time. "But the girls...they are mine. They shall be punished accordingly, won't they?" He nodded to two bounty hunters sitting at his side, who immediately rose in the darkened room, and grabbed the twins, who remained totally calm, having seen the darker side of this life more than once. Kai reached back desperately, and as both twins were stuffed into small bags to make transport easier, she held her hand out once again or the Jedi, out of the sack. The hunter carrying her used the hilt of his blaster to snap the arm, forming a clean and audible break. Kai did not even cry out once, instead making the best use of her broken arm to harness the Force and gently nudge the lock on the shackles and make release only a simple arm movement away for the tall and majestic Jedi Knight. Then the darkness permeated her vision, just as Jabba uttered a final string of words.

"...confinement...solitary...one month...one meal a day."

That was all Kai heard as the sack closed in from all sides, suffocating and enfolding in its rough and dusty cloth.

* * *

Darkness. 

Silence.

The sound of water dripping onto the metal beat its rhythm into the isolation, and the cold, feverish body lying within the dank tomb savoured it; it was a rope leading to what was left of sanity, and indeed life itself.

She shivered briefly-calling out for her sister... she opened her mouth to cry and was choked with her own pooled blood on the floor. The metallic taste reminded her of her purpose, and as she tried to stand, she collapsed beneath both her own weakened and cut legs and the pressure of the pain in her shattered arm.

Stifling a cry, she remembered how she had been taught to heal by S'ratha all those years back; the older woman, who had been like a mother to them (albeit cruel sometimes), had been a slight Force-sensitive as well. Calling back those memories, those times that she had been so carefree, so...immature and childish...she begged whatever deity that might drop by to give her death, end her suffering, not force her slightly older twin to suffer any longer at her own hands.

In order to do this, she would have to free her sister.

To free her sister, she would be forced to heal.

She collapsed back to the floor with an unsuccessful attempt to sit. The irony hit her like a slap in the face; she who had sworn on her sister's cowering form that one day to always protect her would probably end up being the one protected.

With barely any strength to move, the girl-not even a teen yet but at the same time both an adult and child-turned her face to the ceiling, light eyes seeming to pierce through it and see to the darkened sky. After a few blissful moments of imagining the stars, her mind turned against her and her nearly dying body. The dream turned to a nightmare, and within a few instants she saw what she nearly certainly knew to be the future, she saw and felt blood droplets raining upon her face, her sister's body hovering above her, shot through by so many lasers that there was no way she could be alive; yet she was.

With a painful smile, Ele coughed and blood, nearly black, poured from her mouth as she spoke her last words.

"Sister...I..." her body was racked by coughs, and her bright eyes themselves began to turn red and darken as they glazed over with the fog of death. "I...love you...don't...cry...please..." With that the body shook and rolled, bloody eyes to the sky. At the same time, crimson began to pour from her nostrils, slightly open mouth, and all of the newly-cut openings in her chest and neck.

Screaming loudly, Kai tried to close her eyes, tear them away, but it was to no avail. She screamed until she was hoarse, and then painfully transitioned into another world, one of shadows and inner screams. Slipping into a near-coma, she fell into a deep sleep...

* * *

"What is to be our fate?" This time the master asked, though they had already gotten an answer he wanted confirmation. Bracing himself for a blow, he paused as none came. 

"We will kill you. We have said this before, yes? We will place you in one of the cells and fill it with water..."

Behind Qui-Gon, Xanatos began not to tremble but to face his soon-to-be killer. His cold blue eyes met Jabba's, and he glared angrily at the Hutt...if looks could kill Jabba would have been dead.

"Take them away...they bore us," the massive Hutt finished, again looking towards the women. "Give them...an hour."

* * *

Finally coming out of the sleep that had occupied her, she realized she could not 'feel' her sister. It was as if her abilities to commune with the Force and through the Force had been numbed. 

However, that didn't mean she couldn't heal...

Reaching a bloody hand to her broken and battered limb, she winced against the pain. Unable to see where she was, she didn't even bother to open her eyes as she placed it and drew off that power within herself. Envisioning it as a bright, pulsating light, she gently spun it from raw energy into muscle and bone, replacing the blood she had lost, and mending the flesh in a nearly-perfect new mould.

After what could have been a day, or as short as a few minutes, she came out of her healing trance. Carefully trying to reach a standing position, she fell again with a loud bang against the floor of freezing metal, stained with blood.

And she was thirsty, to add to her problems.

_Really_ thirsty.

As she laid nearly helplessly on the floor, an idea came to her. It wasn't exactly a great idea, but she was wounded with no water supply. With only a little bit of liquid, she would probably be able to stand...grabbing hold of the one idea she had to call her own, she began to slowly, and then more quickly, lap up her own blood, tainted by only the bitter taste of the metal.

After nearly five minutes of this, she could shakily stand.

Kai grinned.

It was a start.

* * *

As they were led down the hallway to their final resting places, Xanatos and Qui-Gon were shoved in the back by Bib Fortuna, who for once was quiet and said nothing to either Knight or apprentice. 

How had she done it?

Master Jinn puzzled over this silently for a few moments. Kai or Ele, one of the two, had touched his bindings just enough to set him free. He had not made his chance for escape yet, but there was only one opportunity. The time to think this over was later, not now.

As the two were led into the same cell, a vertical chamber with an enclosed platform, he made his move, unshackling himself and knocking out Fortuna in the process.

* * *

Clicking her tongue, Kai inched towards where she heard the refraction of sound last, the indentation that would be the door. 

When she arrived a few minutes later, she placed a single hand on the wall.

This needed concentration.

It was the most powerful thing she knew she could do.

She had tried it before, when she and Ele had been given 'playtime' back in the days when Hajja the Hutt was still their master. It had, as a result, taken her all of two years to master it. All because she had wondered at a simple formula she had devised as a consequence of some actions.

Outward force + inner strength + strong will major outward **destructive** force.

Placing her left hand on the wall, she wearily leaned against it and looked inside of her.

The Force was no longer light, she actually saw it gathering at her fingertips. It was bloodred, and somehow it didn't illuminate anything in the room save her fingers. Applying this to the wall, she focused again, and at the count of three, shoved her energies outward, blowing out the entire wall.

Now to find Ele.

* * *

Whirling gracefully, the Jedi Knight retrieved a blaster from the fallen bounty hunter's utility belt. Gripping the unfamiliar weapon tightly, he connected with the Force and with precision and speed, nailed the center of his Padawan's bindings, and connected the blaster with the second guard's head. As he fell, the young padawan retrieved a secondary lightsaber from his belt. 

It always had bothered the Knight that his padawan always prepared for the worst, even when there was nothing foreseeable that could be a danger to a relatively experienced two-man team.

Even more disturbing was the wave of excitement and cool recklessness being put out by the elder teenager.

"You need to calm down, Xani...hand me the saber..."

"Of course, Master." All of a sudden the bothersome and troubling emotional wall faded and was no longer there. Qui-Gon overlooked it; he and his padawan could talk privately on the way to Coruscant. Tossing Xanatos the blaster, the two became almost literally one, taking out all of the opponents in the area. Finally having finished the grim task, they had been about to leave when they had heard the crash and frantic yells.

* * *

Smiling with a blasé air, Kai chuckled and grabbed the nearest sharpened metal object, in this case a rod with a rather nasty cutting edge. 

_Just like a sword...mmmm...i like this already._

Twirling it lazily around her sides, she faced the five or so gun-wielding guards with no concern towards them whatsoever.

_I lost my life back there. It's all in Ele's hands._

With that thought completed, she leapt with amazing agility for one who had been dying only an hour ago. As the confused guards searched out their prey, she came up behind them with almost a bored sigh.

_I will kill to protect her. Not only kill, but be killed._

With that next thought put into play, she massacred the guards. With her exhausted yet hardened air, she fought without mercy, striking down any and all that stood between herself and her goal.

_Fly, you fools. Fly into the sky. Into hell, here at my own hands. _

She continued down into the hallway, all senses at their maximum output. Her cold grey eyes shone as she searched a dead body, looking for that which she knew was there. On one of the lead guardsmen, she found... a blaster?

_Heh. Can't deal with me with one weapon, let alone two...let's see what you can do here._

Testing her own strength, she felt her sister begin to awaken and stir from her troubled sleep. Using that as a guide, she continued on, masking her inside emotions with a devil-may-care attitude and a bored posture. Finally, though, she met one person she couldn't defeat.

A man.

A **tall** man.

She tried her tricks: psychological tricks through seemingly being totally confident in her own abilities, and real tricks by fighting in a blitz round of blows, kicks, and punches. She held her own for a while, and as ore reinforcements came running down the hall, she simply raised a hand and slapped them into the wall with such force as to crush their backs, and for some their necks, immediately.

At that instant, the man grabbed her hand roughly and jerked her around.

"Mmmm...Jabba's been looking for you, little bitch...but we can have some _fun_ first..." the emphasis on which the man put on the word 'fun' scared her as he dragged her into a dimly lit room and shoved her onto the floor. Emotionlessly staring up into the darkness of the man's face behind the hood, she didn't even struggle as he ripped off her tunic hungrily and pulled off her underclothes.

Touching sensitive areas of the girl's body, the man lusted after more...the childish, virgin body beneath his did not quiver at the touch. She would be a pleasure to break and abuse.

His rough tongue traced her chest down to her stomach, and his large and groping hands spread her legs in an attempt to force her to accept him. She did not cry out.

Using his hands to feel her body and work her over, he began to succumb to his selfish desires.

He shoved himself inside of her with no ado, trying his best to hurt her as he pushed in and out, breaking the small girl's inner muscle in the process.

Blood seeped out when he finally left her, and he muttered curses as he left the room, only to be faced by a Jedi. Not any Jedi. Qui-Gon Jinn-Jedi.

* * *

He didn't even see Kai behind the man, didn't see her hastily grabbing at her robes and tunic and shoving them over her shivering body. He didn't even notice anything but her Force presence until she tugged on his robes, all of a sudden just a child again. 

"Kai! Where's Ele?" the Master asked urgently. If the two had gotten separated, Ele had most likely been killed.

"Follow me, Master Jinn. I will lead, don't worry, I'll be **fine**."

With that said, he did so, with quite a bit of worry for her safely as Xanatos trailed after both of them.

He saw her somehow incredibly powerful and still bloodthirsty way of combat, evolved from years of anger, stress, and hate. Admirable, that she had held it back until now.

He sensed another emotion within her, prevalent and nearly controlling; uncontrollable shock, perhaps even fear.

Wondering what had happened to illicit these dark feelings, he continued down the maze of pathways, realizing that even if they did ever manage to turn her more light, the first blow of many had been dealt by the shadows in an attempt to take the child from the Jedi, the Light Side of the Force.

* * *

_MUAHAHAHAHA!_

I know...I'm cruel...but I loved this chapter! Writing it...then reading...and rereading...and becoming slowly insane...

It only took me like two hours.. heh. Loved it. Expect (somewhat) quick updates from here 'till Jan. 3.

Yavië...heehee...since she hasn't let me do chappy editing in a while...she doesn't get to see NstS before I post.

She's gonna kill me...if you don't ever hear from me again, check your nearest criminal listing and see if a certain Yavië Jinn happens to be there...god. I want to KILL her for not letting me see the chapters...but you get to hear from me for the next two chapters...or one...whatever. You see...heh...sister's gone for the week, went to St. Louis. So I call the fanfic!

-Anij Jinn

(your insane twin, for all concerned, did I mention completely mad?)


	7. Was there no other way?

DISCLAIMER: Star Wars is not mine. It belongs to George Lucas. Unfortunately for me. Kai and Ele belong to the Jinn Twins; we used those names because they're unique.

CHAPTER WARNINGS: More violence, random painful and emotional thoughts, mild language.

I know! The last chapter was so cruel...but I'm setting up the plot here.

I have also decided that Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Enya, and U2 are _very_ good for these wonderful stories...I love iPods...

Yes, there was Kai-torture. But trust me, it pays off...

* * *

**Was there no other way?**

With no time to waste, Kai continued down the industrial and dimly-lit corridors, going to her sister as fast as she could.

_I can't believe what just happened...**This **is why I must protect Ele. The galaxy's cruel._

Pushing aside further thoughts, she carelessly stepped down, into the next hallway, and rolled onto a catwalk from there.

All that any passers-by could see fifteen seconds later was an open air shaft.

* * *

Blackness. 

Isolation.

The child inside the dark room didn't cry out or shiver, she had the Force to comfort and strengthen her. Perhaps she could attempt an escape later, but she realized her weakened condition and did not attempt to push her body's limitations.

Though she may have been terrified on the inside, her outer facade displayed a calm and collected exterior as she groaned and stretched, much like a cat.

_:Sister:_

A small, questioning thought was sent from Kai as she began to feel her sister awaken.

_:Kai? Where are you? I'm scared.:_

_:Coming. Calm down, we should be there in a few minutes. We'll get you out.:_

_:You say 'we'. Who is we? Is the big Jedi all right? His padawan:_

_:When I say 'we' I mean both Jedi and me. Don't worry, they got out. They're fine.:_

Shivering now, she allowed tears to flow from her face not in desperation, but relief. She slid to the floor, back to a wall. Withdrawing from the link, she and her sister both had equal mindsets; get out and get somewhere safe. Preferably the Temple.

Going into a light meditative trance, she waited.

And waited.

When she heard a bang on the door, she didn't even flinch. She knew it was probably the Jedi and her sister. Her powerful, overly dramatic, loving and protective sister. She was a bit overprotective though, wasn't she?

_Oh, well. That protectiveness has saved both our lives before. I don't intend to complain...I'm fond of her, too._

Just then, the person in question appeared at a hole in the wall. A blazing blue lightsaber was behind her, guarding off stray shots that might be fired.

_:Are you coming or not? We came all this way, nearly got ourselves killed, and all you can do is sit there:_

Withdrawing from her trance, Ele unceremoniously jumped through the hole and promptly fell on her stomach. Wincing, she mentally cursed herself for suddenly becoming such a bad judge of her own state.

Her sister came over and immediately placed her hands on her sisters', drawing in power as she healed her. Within five agonizingly long minutes, Ele was back to normal, or as normal as she could be. What worried her was the change in character in her twin. Herself? She could wait...what had happened to her sister to make her so cruel, so sadistic? She was only six...and just kid...in another set of circumstances she may have already been a Jedi Knight...already.

She gently brushed her sister's mind, trying to keep Kai from losing herself in the maelstrom of emotions blending within. She watched as her twin brushed that comfort off, waving it away until later. At the same down, she fought right next to the Jedi, slicing through people and droids alike. The blood that came from these onslaughts was unbearable...there was too much...and now she noticed that there was blood trickling down her twin's leg... what was going on here?

Following again, guarded in the back by Xanatos and the front by Master Jinn, her sister led the way. Kai had an exceptional sense of direction, and she knew where she was going this time. Placing her trust in the six-year-old, both Jedi followed quickly.

* * *

"What has happened?" Jabba demanded. He had never seen a problem like this, and was determined to keep his property. If the Jedi wanted the girls, then they had to be valuable for some reason. 

"Lord Jabba... we believe that one of the mechanical shackles malfunctioned. The older Jedi was clearly able to escape easily, as is evidenced on the tape," a technician commented. Pointing at the still-unconscious Bib Fortuna, the man continued. "He didn't even see what hit him. I would recommend you find a new bounty hunter."

Jabba motioned for another bounty hunter to come forward.

"Kill him...he insults us. You think we cannot make our own decisions, yes? Here is one for you; a sentence of death," said the Hutt in his low voice, already leaving the room and calling more guards after the Jedi...and his slaves.

* * *

Leading the Jedi out of the building, Kai finally allowed the heavy blaster to slide out of her fingers and clatter to the ground. 

A hand slipped it back into her palm, warm, rough, and comforting.

"You'll be needing that later," said the tall Master, standing back up from his stooped position.

Nodding, Kai looked around. She didn't see a ship...were they to sprout wings and fly?

"Xani. Go on...we'll be at the top of that building. Preferably something with an inconspicuous design, **not** like last time." Qui-gon nodded to Xanatos and the youth ran off in the general direction of the hangar. Gently taking the girls by their hands, he smiled comfortingly. "I'll take one of you up at a time. Kai, would you mind going second?"

The girl shook her head mutely, motioning that her sister should go first anyway. Assuming a guard stance, she waited for Master Jinn to take her sister up.

Unsnapping a small item from his tool belt, Qui-Gon watched as a grapple and rope shot out, lifting them both to the top. Tossing Ele over the edge, he went down once again to grab Kai. To his horror, the child was fighting again, this time for her life.

* * *

It didn't look like the bounty hunters wanted her alive anymore. 

_This_ was potentially bad.

Unleashing last bit of inner strength, Kai let out not herself, but a monster in her place. Unraveling the mask of heavy cloth it had worn for so long, Kai let out a demon of savage fury, managing to both dodge every shot and attack at the same time. Scarily aggressive, she lunged after her would-be killers, or at least kidnappers.

Some of the thugs had actually begun to retreat, Qui-Gon noted thoughtfully as he watched. He understood that this was Kai's battle. Forcing himself to watch a savage enter her body and mind, he could sense Ele steeling herself to do the same.

The rest of the battle did not last long at all. Eventually, all of them were either struck down or had fled.

Gently picking her up around the waist, the man hoisted her to safety.

"Kai!" Ele lunged forward at Kai, crushing her in a hug. Opening her mouth, everything she wanted to say came out in a huge mess.

"Ohmigoshareyouokhowtheheckdidyoudithat!" the words burst from Ele.

Kai looked at her, clearly very confused and weary.

"If this touching reunion is over, perhaps we can continue onward?" came a drawling question. They all looked to the owner of the voice, surprised to see Xanatos standing on the ramp of an airborne ship. Stepping back aboard, Kai made the jump easily, as did Ele. Qui-Gon scanned the area for more gunmen, and when she found none, he climbed aboard gratefully.

* * *

Grabbing hold of the side of a chair, Kai pretty much collapsed, bloody, bruised, and tired out. The battles had been fought. Fighting the growing pain between her legs, she tried to stand, but Ele stopped her hurriedly. 

_:Kai, what is _wrong_ with you? You're not yourself.:_

_:Nothing. I'm tired and probably just killed a hundred people.:_

They were both amazingly mature for their age, Master Jinn noted from the doorway. They had been mere slaves their entire lives, yet they already had a sense of something bigger than them. Or at least Ele did... he was worried about the brute strength in Kai, the uncontrolled emotions. But she was only six. She could learn. If it was the will of the Force.

* * *

She awoke in a small cabin, a medical droid looking over her. 

"Mmmm...Ele?" her small voice reverberated off the walls, creating an odd echo. The patter of small feet came to her ears and she looked up just in time to see Ele enter the room with a worried look on her face.

"Kai? Are you...I mean...are you alright? We know what happened..." her voice trembled slightly, being almost normal but still very nervous.

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" Kai demanded. If they knew about her rape, they would think her weak...

"About your...assault..." Ele was seriously nervous now. Kai normally took things well, but this was different entirely.

_:You little idiot! How did you find out about that? I hate you:_

Kai almost radiated anger. Even Xanatos could sense the emotions at hand, at the other side of the ship. Which sent Qui-Gon running to the infirmary.

Speaking slowly and deliberately, the older twin responded, "I saw blood and told Master Jinn. He sent in a medical droid to help heal you... we can think too, ya know."

Cocking her head to one side and crinkling her forehead, she was almost a perfect imitation of S'ratha, and Kai childishly laughed at this. Purpose accomplished, Ele smiled gently as Master Jinn walked in.

"Is everything all right in here? You seemed upset," he commented when both girls nodded their heads to his question.

_:Ele, can you go out for just a sec? I gotta talk to the Master.:_

Nodding in ascent, Kai was left alone with the Jedi Knight.

"Umm. Master Jinn. I wanted to ask you something, can I?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Are Ele and I going to become Jedi?" At the knowing smile on his face, she rushed onward. "'Cause if we are, then we need new names. Kai and Ele aren't exactly proper." She wrinkled her nose as she pleaded her case.

"It is the decision of the Council to train you or not. However, if both of you wish, I will personally see that you get your choice of names." Qui-Gon responded without giving it a second thought.

The names were easy.

The first part wasn't, though.

* * *

As Kai slept later on, the idea of a new name was presented to the other twin. 

Eyes lighting up with excitement, she enthusiastically nodded.

"I want a new name! Yes please, Master Jinn!" Ele practically shouted.

"What would you want as a name though?" Qui asked curiously.

"Oh, that's easy. Alcanar Yavië! It means autumn leaves in our regular language! It's pretty!" This time, Ele _did _shout.

He laughed inwardly and went to check on Xanatos after writing down the name.

* * *

Kai awoke with a start, her sister's grinning face less than two inches from hers. 

"AAAAAAGH! ELE! WHY IN HELL DID YOU DO THAT!" she yelled, both amused (though she'd never admit it) and startled.

With that said, Ele didn't even have to respond, Kai started randomly laughing her head off. The laughs and giggles of the twins reached Xanatos in the cockpit, who shook his head and sighed, annoyed.

_:SIS! I changed my name...I changed my name...I changed my name...:_

On and on it went, until Kai blocked it out to keep from getting a headache.

Finally daring to pull down the mental barrier, she opened her mind to her sister, who was dancing in the centre of the room...still.

_:...changed my name...I changed my name...:_

Deciding her sister was slowly going insane, either that or she herself was, she tentatively asked,

"To what? What's your name?"

"Alcanar Yavië! Isn't it pretty?" Still bubbling over with hyperactivity and joy, Ele—erm—_Alcanar_ danced out of the room.

"But now, what should I change my name to...?" Kai murmured, musing over numerous possibilities.

* * *

Told you I'd get stuff done fast for you! 

And I did. No complaints on speed please, I do my best...as does Yavië when she's around.

Oh. Yeah.

**FYI:** Alcanar Yavië means 'autumn leaves' in Elvish. Yep. LOTR rocks too. Gotta love Tolkien. Kai's name, which will be revealed next chapter, will mean 'falling fire' in a mixed branch of Klingon and Aviin. (Aviin is a language that I made up...we actually do use it!) We will assume the twins' native dialect is Aviin for now, as it's based on the smooth sounds of Elvish, and the harsh, guttural sounds of typical Klingon discourse.

**Also...**  
We're putting our names in the names of the characters because that was the original idea, just to totally substitute our names. We decided that could be...bad. So we're both substituting our first names as the twins' middle names—if you can't tell already Kai is my job, Alcanar/Ele is Yavië's job. Hee.

And before you ask, yes, Jinn actually is our real last name.

Oh, and please submit names (unusual and special) to us via email, jinn. . Give us the meaning behind the name if you can, and if it's really good, it'll be in our story! Please submit! Tell us if it's a guy or girl name too...

Okay, next chapter tomorrow if I can!

-Anij Jinn


	8. Shining Hope

DISCLAIMER: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas, not the Jinn Twins. Don't sue us. Kai, Ele, Hajja the Hutt, S'ratha, and Marea are our own characters, not his...ask if you want to use them, we'll probably say yes!

Also keep in mind that the poem is my work, property of Anij Jinn. Before you use it, EMAIL me! I probably will say yes, but all the same...common courtesy?

Mmmm...getting sick is not good for the mind OR body. I can hardly think...my head hurts. And I'm cold. Even though I'm under three blankets, wearing gloves, and wearing a trenchcoat plus jeans and a warm shirt, I'm still cold. So updates might be a little EITHER:

a. totally belated OR  
b. pretty fast, depending on how much time I spend in bed shivering and coughing. Dunno. Blame my cousin, I caught it from her.

Also, some names that I've chosen to take to the finals for the next few chapters, **it's not too late to submit some!** Just email us or comment and I'll take a look.

Kk, here you go. the bold ones are going to be included already **Liam **(M), Aron (M), **Nûniel **(F), Del (M), Dax (either), Tristan (M), **Chiara** (F), Lindsey (F), **Aneko** (F), Yale (F), **Enya **(F), Acacia (F), Aiden (M), Garren (M). Please submit more!

Special thanks to Del'Cera Osirin and Chiara Sholuk, who provided numerous name ideas!

Oh. And forgive the humour. I needed comic relief in this, or so I am told.

* * *

**Shining hope**

Carefully grasping the old-fashioned fountain pen, Alcanar began the poem that had been drifting through her head for close to an hour. Setting down a piece of organic fiber-paper, she began to write, recalling her past while penning her dreams.

_Insomnia  
A night of whispers  
Moonlight hidden  
From your eyes  
Sleep instead awakening  
All your senses  
Brushing past  
Arousing lies  
Lies of rest and lies of dreaming  
All of them far gone from you  
Lies of health and lies of laughter  
Simply because it's just too  
Much to handle  
Or to care about  
The world is waiting  
While you pout  
While you lack your sleep  
Awake and thinking  
Writing sonnets  
And music  
--just like me. _

Satisfied, the child set her poem down and titled it carefully, placing the paper down after her attention turned to a quiet Jedi in the corner. Looking to her, he waited cautiously until she nodded and gestured for him to take a seat.

"May I?" Xanatos asked, again almost shyly withdrawing until she nodded a quick yes. Sliding the paper over the smooth surface of the table, his cool hand brushed hers as he accepted it. Reading quickly, the padawan ran his finger across each line, nodding thoughtfully as he read it.

"There was once in the Temple, when I was younger, that the Council required each potential Jedi to take a poetry and literature class. I disliked the teacher, always singling me out for attention. As the class began to dwindle and become one of the more unpopular courses, attendance became smaller and smaller—the Council required us to _enroll_ for the class, not be there. Most of us slept in or went swimming," he thought aloud, recalling his youth in a wistful manner. "I never did well at the class," Xanatos continued, "and so I was one of the ones who left the class... I just wish I had this kind of talent. This flows like a duel of two Jedi Masters, calculated for effect and at the same time speaking from the soul." He reached over and placed a gentle hand on Alcanar's small and warm head, standing and handing her the poem back.

Innocently, the girl cocked her head to one side again, much as she had an hour or so ago. Watching his back retreat into the cockpit, she called after him,

"You don't look like the kind of person who would like that class. I like writing these because they can clear up all the funny feelings inside my head," she commented, shaking her long hair out as if to illustrate her point. This was a good day, why not act like it?

Grinning, she pattered down the hall towards where she could sense the Jedi Master and his apprentice. Finally able to be a child, she looked up in wonder and no small amount of awe at both of them as they worked in tandem with each other, matching the whir and him of the machinery perfectly. She poked the Knight in the shoulder, and as he turned around in his seat, she flashed him her cutest smile. On a face that wasn't used to smiling, it was amazing that she was even able to show happiness.

Patting his knee, he helped the girl climb up into the seat with him. She looked out at space, and at the stars whirling by in hyperspace. Laughing and clapping her little hands together, both Jedi suddenly saw her in a different light... she seemed out of character now, but this was her true nature, while calm and serene on the outside, she was able to maintain her personality inside at a cost. She was more mature than her years, sure, but this was an astonishing change. Smiling softly, Qui-Gon began to point out the controls of the ship, letting her be the child she never had been able to become.

* * *

"Master Yoda." 

"Excellent to hear from you, it is. News you have for me, Master Jinn?" the troll-like figure was visible through the transmission, and Qui-Gon knew his own figure was visible within the Council chambers.

Continuing to stand, he continued reporting to the Jedi Council.

"We have discovered two force-sensitive beings that were held captive in slavery. When we attempted to purchase them from Lord Jabba of Tatooine, we were met with resistance. However, we recovered the girls in the process and are bringing them to Coruscant for possible training."

"Hmm. Force-sensitive beings, you say?"

"Yes, Master Yoda. Two twins; girls originally under the names of Kai and Ele. At the moment though, they are choosing complete names as a step to integrate into society. They are six years old each, one appears to be an excellent swordfighter, at least. The other, Ele, now known as Alcanar Yavië. While it may be a breach of the normal protocol, I would strongly suggest these children be trained. They have higher midichlorian counts than any known being. They understand the basics of the Force at the least, they could easily join classes of their age level, and for each girl, perhaps a higher level than usual in their particular field of excellence."

Nodding knowingly, Yoda began to pace as Master Windu broke in.

"It is against the Code to train younglings after a certain age, and they are clearly above that time period. I will advise the Council against this position." About to take another breath and continue with his argument, he was stopped by a raised hand from Master Yoda. Nodding almost apologetically, he allowed the senior Jedi to speak his side.

"Ah. Test them, we will, Master Windu. To accept them or not, we shall decide in the future. Agree with this, you do, Master Jinn?"

The tall knight nodded in assent.

"Then decided it is. Test the twins, we shall. But one more question I have. Their family, what of them?" With curiosity and a desire to know, the Council leader pursued one last alley.

"Their mother died shortly after childbirth. They know nothing of their family and choose to rely on each other and the ones they trust for guidance and teaching. The two children are incredibly close, and could most likely share that closeness with the Jedi Order. They are more self-reliant than most _Jedi_ we have currently in Master/Padawan teams, and with training could eventually surpass myself," Qui-Gon answered, honestly and truthfully. He did not mention their mental bond, or the fact that with every passing moment he was beginning to think of Kai and Alcanar more as his daughters than possible candidates for the Jedi Order.

"Master Jinn, speak with you soon, I must. May the Force be with you on your return." The small troll bowed and the motion was reflected by the other Knight as the transmission was cut off.

* * *

"Hey! Alcanar! SISTER!" 

Yelling in a voice almost guaranteed to wake the dead, she ran up and down the hallway until _someone_ looked at her. Master Jinn and his Padawan both were looking at her, amused.

Leaning over to his mentor, Xanatos murmured, "She would make an excellent healer as well..." At Jinn's questioning gaze, the padawan wryly finished, "she could make all the harmed Jedi heal so quickly with that voice that soon we wouldn't need first aid."

Stifling laughter and largely failing, Qui-Gon knelt next to the yelling child and placed a palm on her shoulder.

"What is it, Kai?" he asked, still possessing an amused tone.

"I need to talk to my sister. I want her to help me choose a name," she whispered into his ear, and then pulled back, blushing madly.

Shaking his head, Qui-Gon whispered back to her, "look in the third hallway on the left, first room you see."

Running off, Kai proved herself to be the crazy sister that Alcanar claimed she was, as she began to gather large objects, explaining to the people she was rapidly leaving behind, "You've never had to wake her up before." Disappearing around a corner, a loud crash was audible, then scuffling feet, than a loud bang. Five seconds later, a loud scream was audible, causing both Jedi to totally give up all hope of emotional control. Even Xanatos was laughing as what was obviously a fight ensued, followed by screams in the twins' native tongue. Turning back to the controls, Qui-Gon say himself down, still chuckling at the unintended humour the twins could cause.

* * *

"Maki! Taka por re chalme tsuka!"  
_Older sister! Wake up already!_

Groaning sleepily, Alcanar opened her eyes and screamed.

"Relech Kai mek! Toona ka re chalme 'stae!"  
_Dammit, Kai! I am waking up, some time please!_

Kai's response to that was to simply grab a pillow and beat her sister over the head, grinning ear to ear as she did so. She knocked a few metal objects off a shelf, causing a loud bang, and more frantic yells from Alcanar ensued.

"Kai! Relech mek! Gowron khemel! Lacca- off- padrac!"  
_Kai! Dammit! Cut it out! Get- off- me!_

Demonic giggling followed that statement.

As Alcanar was about to whack Kai, she saw her favorite food presented by her twin. Shaking her head, she accepted the food as a peace offering and ate it ravenously, finishing the tray of food off in less than three minutes. Finally coming out of her startled mood, Alcanar looked up at her sister and found herself a bit creeped out by the wide grin.

"What do you want?" the older girl asked, finally reverting to Basic.

"A name. What do you think of Saska Anij?" Kai asked loudly.

"Mmm. No. You aren't worthy of the name. (It means redeeming fire) How about... _Imari_ Anij?"

Kai thought it over, accepting the name for what it was and toying with it. (It means 'fallen fire') Changing the last letter and therefore the tense of this odd word, she finished.

"Imaru Anij. Falling Fire. I like it..." Kai finished. Before Alcanar could get another word in, her twin ran out the door, yelling again, this time for the Jedi.

Groaning good-naturedly, she whispered a question to the now-closed door.

"Kari no ke genge da con yi, Kai?"  
_What am I going to do with you, Kai?_

Tickling her mind, a small thought made her realize that her sister had broken into her mind...

_:Let me mess with your mind, that's what.:_

Groaning yet again, Alcanar dragged herself out of her bed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"**Wow!**" yelled Kai, now Imaru, taking in the cityscape of Coruscant. The two men at the piloting controls smiled at the excitement and sheer awe in her voice. Then again, it was hard not to smile at someone this young seeing her first planet outside of her home. Alcanar was just as enthusiastic, smiling from not hyperactivity like her sister, but anticipation. 

Imaru expertly concealed her true emotions underneath her young and overly happy visage. On the inside, she was mourning the innocence she had lost with her rape. The violence that had been inflicted upon her by that..._monster_...would have to stop. She would have to become strong to protect those who had no strength and were innocent. To protect that innocence, those lives. She was depressed, though she didn't realize it yet.

Landing occurred a little more than five minutes after that first scream (or, as Alcanar would later say, seven minutes and fourteen seconds), and the Temple opened its doors to the twins, astounding them with its sheer enormousness. People their age, some younger, some older, walked casually through the hallways, chatting with friends or shyly peering at the newcomers. While Masters and padawans were not an unfamiliar sight around here, they were still respected deeply and looked at as almost god-like beings. And the twins were looked at shyly, a few younglings ventured to wave or call out a greeting.

Marching through the spacious hallways, Imaru and Alcanar were wide-eyed, looking in wonder at the sights around them. Taking in the new smells as they passed the dining hall, looking at the new faces throughout the Temple, and absorbing the details of everything they passed. Xanatos left on the way to the Council chambers to rest, informing his master that 'just because he was younger meant by no means that he needed less sleep'.

Gently placing his hands on the twins' small shoulders, Qui-Gon steered them into the spacious Council chambers. Inside, several Jedi smiled at the two girls, so absorbed in their surroundings, but while one looked around, the other scanned the area for potential dangers.

"Hmm... the twins of which you speak, these are?" Master Yoda questioned. Quietly, Qui-Gon murmured into the twins' ears which master was which. As Yoda repeated the question unfailingly, the distracted Knight nodded.

"Leave us, you may, Master. Rest, you need." Bowing, Qui-Gon executed a military turn and exited the room, leaving the twin girls to be tested.

Bowing apologetically, Alcanar Yavië looked to the absently reading Mace Windu. Apparently these tests did not interest him.

"Master Windu? Do you have a piece of paper with you that I could use?"

Startled, the Master nearly dropped his book, recovering just in time to grab it out of the air before unceremoniously falling to the floor despite his best efforts. Both twins rushed over to his aid, and the entire Council began to laugh among itself.

"Lost your book, have you?" asked the little green master. Chuckling quietly, he turned to look at the girls, who were waved away by a clearly embarrassed Mace Windu.

"You wanted a piece of paper, correct?" Without waiting for a response, the dark-skinned Master handed it to Alcanar. Who, of course, wrote out a poem. Simple and short, she titled it 'Rain'.

_Falling fast  
Towards the ground  
Moonlight reflecting off  
A clear but impure droplet  
Glistening as it splashes  
Becoming part of the whole  
Once more. _

Handing the simple poem to Yoda at his request, she was surprised to see him start on a tangent about the poetry class as well. Grinning, both she and Imaru went on to the rest of training.

* * *

Hours (and about all their energy) later, Imaru and Alcanar left the Council room, quite pleased with themselves. After several tests appropriate for their age level, they had passed with flying colours. Yoda had finally deemed them Jedi. At last, their destinies had started... Their lives could start over. 

They could lead worthy lives.

* * *

Blech...Anij hates being sick. Therefore, as retaliation, Anij will talk in third person for the rest of this fanfic conclusion. Hahahaha. Anij thinks that the world is insane. Anij also wants Skittles. LOTS of Skittles. Any offers...? Okay. Nevermind. 

Anij is lonely now...yes, before you ask, she always talks like this. Well. (thinks) Not always, sometimes. Anij talks in third-person with Yavië a lot. Too much, probably.

Okay, so before I drive you totally insane with my useless pratter, keep this subtle note in your head.

**I NEED NAME SUGGESTIONS!**

Three more to make it to the finals are definitely needed, I would prefer a Japanese-sounding name like Uzumaki or Konohamaru or something... I watch too much Naruto...

Okay. Next chappy comes out tomorrow if you're lucky, 'cause I've done some record-pace chapter-writing and frantic scribbling. And if I stay up as late as I am planning to...there will be a second out by midnight.

Oooooh... Yavië's not gonna be happy...too bad for her.

TTYL! And I swear I'll update!

Also, sorry for the chapter being short...seriously...I'll make them longer but I think it makes up for it due to constant updates.

-your ever-crazed and _still_ sick writer, Anij Jinn

Oh. **Crap. **

Mace Windu: WHAT! I HAVE BETTER BALANCE THAN THAT YOU KNOW!

Me: (runs and hides)

Yoda: Calm down, you must, Master Windu. Know we all do that you have a short temper... (mutters) and attention span...

MW: I HEARD THAT YOU LITTLE GREEN **TROLL**!

Yoda: Oh, so little green troll I am? Show you how to fight this little green troll shall!

MW: (draws saber and lunges for Yoda)

Me: (grabs bag of popcorn and watches, laughing and offering sarcastic comments)

MW and Yoda: GET HER! (or, in Yoda's case, Get her, we shall!)

Yoda: Shut your large mouth, you shall.

Me: Did a troll just tell me to shut my mouth? What a disappointment...

Qui: What's going on...whoa there...

Me: (hides behind Qui) Don't hurt the nice little author, **please?**

Qui: Wait...you wrote this?

Me: Ummm...no...I'm a Star Trek fan...My sis wrote it...

MW: Liar!

Qui: ...

Yoda: HERETIC! Burn at stake, you shall!

Qui: Oh. Yeah. (draws saber in attempt to follow along)

Me: (runs again, grabbing Imaru and Alcanar on the way)

Imaru: WDF! Put me down, Anij! NOW!

Alcanar: (bites wrist of captor)

Me: OWWW! Owwww... You know I can always kill you off...

Alcanar and Imaru: HOW DARE YOU! WE'RE YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS! WE HOPE YOU GO TO SITH HELL!

Me: Oh...**shit.**

Yoda: Went this way, did she?

Imaru: Yes, Master Yoda. Follow me. (immediately takes up running after Anij)

Qui: Oh look! A coffee shop!

Alcanar: Master Jinn, have you been drinking or something...? You're a little OOC...

Qui: No I have **not** been drinking, damn you!

MW: (quietly) He has a very low alcohol tolerance, Alcanar, Imaru...HEY LOOK! THERE'S THE LITTLE FOOL!

Me: Ohpleasegodno pleasesavemepleasesavemepleasesavemepleasesaveme...

Qui: (bored) Can we go get coffee now?

Imaru: SHUT UP!

Alcanar: I have Skittles... (waves bag)

Me: o0o0o0o0o0o! YEAH! That's what I'm talking about! (jumps for bag and gets whacked in the head)

Imaru: (sweetly) Once we knock you out you can have them.

Me: Just do it fast and don't break my teeth so I can eat the Skittles afterward, okay?

MW: Why are we still here? I want coffee...

Qui: Let's go...

Yoda: You too, Windu?

Me: (laughs loudly and gets stomped all over by Master Yoda)

And onward it goes...

I guess they don't like me too much.

Wait...

Me: Waitaminnit. How the heck did you twins get older? You guys are like...fourteen...oh crap...you're my age..

Imaru and Alcanar: That's not for you to know, dahling.

MW: (laughs head off and pathetically falls to floor)

Qui: (wanders off to coffee shop and gets a Mocha Latte at the nearest Starbucks)

Me: THIS IS WAR, YOU HEAR ME!

Cast of Star Wars + Jean-Luc Picard: Yes, we hear you.

Me: How the fck did YOU get here, Captain Picard?

J-LP: The way Data explained it, this is an alternate timeline... unfortunately the Borg destroyed the Enterprise before we could find a way out.

MW: (makes point of staring very obviously)

Me: Star Wars and Star _Trek_? I've gotta be dreaming...

Yoda: Feel like a dream, does this? (smacks me on cheek)

J-LP: (gets into immature and totally pointless staring contest with Mace Windu)

MW: (lunges at Picard with lightsaber since MW lost...)

Picard: (smirks and uses phaser set on stun to shoot down the rampaging madman)

MW: I'M A RAMPAGING MADMAN! SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE IDIOT!

Me: It's gonna be a long night... (proves self wrong by getting knocked out by Mace and stays unconcious the entire night)


	9. Of Mischief, Mayhem, and Dye

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, don't sue.

After having trouble with random uploading errors, I hope you'll forgive me for the slowness of the past chapter, as well as this one. And I'm not sick anymore, thank the Force. Also, people say that they liked the random skit at the end...guess what's at the end again...it's not as good, sorry, and this whole chapter kind of is the same way, but I tried to create a comedy-type chapter here because we're getting ready to skip ahead a little bit.

Okay...still need a few names, but a few characters will be introduced today. Calix might be thrown in there as a guy's name eventually...it's a Greek name that means 'very handsome', but dunno. It's in the running. Chiara and several other characters get introduced soon...but here's random bios for now.

**Liam**: 6 years old, human male. Has chestnut hair (very short), hazel eyes, tall height, and somewhat tan skin. Likes to cause mischief, randomly spar with people, and swim. Definitely an extrovert, but less than most people.  
NAME MEANING: 'determined guardian'  
NAME ORIGIN: Ireland, primarily a Celtic name  
PROVIDED BY: Yavië Jinn

**Enya**: 4 years old, human female. Has dark brown hair (cropped and short), green eyes, short height, and tanned skin. Hides behind people a lot; very shy and introverted.  
NAME MEANING: 'little fire'  
NAME ORIGIN: Ireland, it's a Gaelic/Celtic name  
PROVIDED BY: My own pointless imagination

**Nûniel**: 7 years old, Mon Calamari female. Has silver hair (long), sapphire eyes, average height, and typical salmon skin. Good athlete, excellent student, even better at piloting.  
NAME MEANING: part of the meaning 'isolated'  
NAME ORIGIN: Elvish, from LOTR  
PROVIDED BY: Chiara Sholuk

Oh. Just to clarify a few things.

**Imaru Anij**: 6 years old, human female. Has brown hair (short), grey eyes, tall height, and tanned skin. Excellent combatant, relatively skilled healer; enjoys playing pranks and other random activities including swimming, building, and pilot training.  
NAME MEANING: 'falling fire'  
NAME ORIGIN: Aviin

**Alcanar Yavië**: 6 years old, human female. Has brown hair (long), grey eyes, average height, and tanned skin. Exceptional healer, enjoys swimming, writing poems, reading, and learning.  
NAME MEANING: 'autumn leaves'  
NAME ORIGIN: Aviin

Thanks to those who have provided names so far including Chiara Sholuk, Master Kenobi's Apprentice, and Carey Ann Lupin. Please, continue by all means.

* * *

**Of Mischief, Mayhem, and Dye**

Skipping off, both girls realized suddenly something that they had not noticed before—they had no idea where they were going...

Looking around at all the younglings, they began to wonder if they would ever truly fit in; this was a totally different environment than the one they were used to.

_:Kai. Imaru. Whatever you call yourself. Where's the big Jedi and his padawan:_

_:I don't know. Why don't we find them? I know you can... you can sense the Force in different people as easily as I can breathe. You find them.:_

Immediately following Imaru's instruction, Alcanar sought out the Force signature of the Jedi Master and Xanatos. She found that imagining different signatures as colours was the easiest way to go about doing it. The Jedi Master, Qui-Gon's, was an emerald-green. Xanatos's was a light grey. Finding them quickly within the swirling colour schemes, she led her twin to them by instinct and feelings alone.

So eager were the twins to reunite with the two that they bumped into another youngling on the way.

"Watch it!" cried the boy, no older than they. Curiously peering at them for a moment, he continued. "I've never seen either of you... where did _you_ come from?"

"I'm Alcanar and this is Imaru," the older girl hastily explained. "We just got here, and we don't know anyone. We're both six and we're going to be Jedi!"

"So 'm I. I'm six and my name's Liam. Wanna be friends?" he asked, his face lighting up at the prospect.

"Sure!" cried Imaru, excited as well.

"Oh. Yeah. This-" Liam said, carefully tugging a tiny youngling from behind him, "-is Enya. She's four and really kinda annoying. But she follows me everywhere, so I can't do anything about her." Nodding at the blushing four year old, Alcanar smiled as the shy, brown-haired child buried her small face in Liam's robe.

_:She's so cute, Alcanar! She reminds me of that girl we knew at Hajja's, you know, Talla:_

_:I remember, sis. Promise.:_

Pulling the clingy child away from him, he grinned mischievously, revealing a recently lost canine tooth.

"Wanna help me with something? Enya helps sometimes, too. This time we're gonna try to dye Master Yoda's robes purple. Then he'll look kinda like Barney. So, wanna help? It's gonna be fun!"

Enthusiastically smiling again, Imaru nodded, the quest for Qui forgotten.

"Sure. We can help!"

* * *

Roughly one hour later, Enya was hiding behind Liam, Liam was retrieving purple dye, Alcanar was helping retrieve dye, and Imaru was keeping watch. 

"Here ya go. This is pink, this is light blue, this is lime green, this is yellow, this is cerulean..." sorting through the shelves of dye, Liam began to inventory everything aloud. "And...here we go. Here's the purple."

Tossing some down, Alcanar caught it and placed it in an inconspicuous bag. Since Liam was already known for dragging a sack of extra pillows to his room every night (for little Enya, who liked to sleep there), it wouldn't really be a problem to get the dye. The problem would be getting some robes, and replacing Master Yoda's... But Liam, young criminal genius that he was, had already figured it out. If they just stole the robes from the Jedi's wardrobe and dyed them all purple, then put them all back, then the short Master would have two choices: one, go around in his pajamas all day, or two, wear the purple robes. And Liam had already voiced that he seriously doubted that Yoda wanted the entire Temple knowing that he wore spaceship pajamas.

* * *

By that night, both Alcanar and Imaru had agreed to 'sleep over' in Liam's room, with him and Enya. They still hadn't bothered to go find the Jedi Master, and were actually relatively comfortable having no adult around. By the time the computer announced that it was midnight, three of them had already left for Yoda's quarters. Enya was asleep, and they all opted not to bother her. 

"Shhh..." Imaru whispered to Alcanar, who had almost tripped.

Rolling her eyes, Alcanar obeyed silently and tiptoed down the hallway again.

Finally motioning that they were there, Liam crawled into a somewhat cramped access tube that went directly above Yoda's rooms. Reaching a small hook down through the ceiling of the closet, Liam snagged all of the robes and handed them to Imaru, who handed a few down to Alcanar. Backing up and closing the panel to the tube, Imaru pulled out a few tubes of dye and smeared them all over the robes. In less than twenty minutes all of the garments had been re-coloured.

Sneaking back into the access area, this time Alcanar put the garments back in when all of a sudden she heard Master Yoda's footsteps, coming towards the closet. Looking at Liam and her sister, she mouthed,

"what the hell is he doing up at THIS hour?"

Liam shrugged as Alcanar turned back and hastily replaced the robes to their original areas. Withdrawing the hook at exactly the right time, they heard a sleepy Yoda begin to curse loudly, disturbing the quiet. Giggling almost silently, the three ran back to Liam's room immediately.

* * *

As they entered, the saw a very distressed Enya. She had wide, saddened eyes, and tears leaking out and dripping down her young face. Not even bothering to explain, Liam rushed over and began to softly sing to her, a captivating and beautiful melody ranging from high notes to low ones. 

"Althair ar a neamh...  
tria ke la, dian tle...  
Sparra mat ash de lanië...  
Kesh toi la carrah metandii.

Repeating this a few times, using different combinations of notes for each repetition, he calmed Enya down as he held her close. Finally, he sung quieter and quieter, until the small child dropped off to sleep. Gently setting her down, he explained softly.

"She's afraid of being alone. And of the dark...I can sing her something that I write and then she's happy." Having provided this simplistic observation and truth, Liam curled up under the covers of his bed and fell asleep. Talking quietly amongst themselves for a few more minutes, the twins eventually nodded off as well.

* * *

Eating breakfast the next morning, Alcanar, Imaru, Liam, Enya, Qui-Gon, and Xanatos all sat in a group, chatting around as they contentedly munched at the random food objects they had grabbed. Alcanar had some wheat cereal, Liam some fruit and a cup of yogurt, Enya was picking random objects away from all of the people at the table, and the two oldest Jedi both had an assortment of breakfast foods. Imaru didn't eat breakfast, it had never been to her liking. 

Master Yoda walked in just in time for Imaru to turn around. She saw him and immediately began to giggle helplessly. Everyone but Qui-Gon soon followed suit. Master Jinn didn't laugh, but he had an amused twinkle in his eyes, laughing to himself mentally. He looked like a certain purple dinosaur...and then someone waltzed right past Yoda, singing the theme song to Barney! At this point, everyone laughed harder. It was Padawan Bultar Swan, renowned for her wicked sense of humour and occasionally good jokes.

"Funny, I think it **not**!" exclaimed the short Jedi as the padawan danced out the door and away from Yoda. The master shook his fist at the now-closed door, muttering things under his breath and hobbling over to the food line.

About a week after what came to be known as the 'Barney incident', the troublesome three thought up a new trick: what if the Room of One Thousand Fountains were to become the Room of Cherry Soda? They certainly had enough... though it would take a while to pump that much through the system. In the end, it was Alcanar's suggestion just to add red dye to the water, and it was decided from there. All they needed were about two hundred dye tubes. And THOSE were easy enough to get to...

* * *

Returning to the dye room, Liam sent Alcanar to get carbon-dioxide releasants, which would immediately release CO2 into water. It was used in certain training activities and for fun by a good number of padawans... and Jedi, for that matter. Alcanar was to get a bagful of the marble-sized capsules, and drag it back to Liam's room. In order to escape any suspicion, Enya trailed behind Alcanar absentmindedly, eventually climbing on top of the sack and falling asleep on the way back to the room.

"I got the dye," said Liam, revealing a sack full of dye and some he had stuffed into his pockets. "There 'r about...well...a lot." Nodding towards Alcanar, he asked, "You?"

"Yeah, I got it. Padawan Bultar Swan helped me get to them by diverting all the Jedi away from the storage area for about ten minutes," the six-year-old reported.

"You sound excited. Now can we just get to work, please?" commented Imaru from the bed. She was sprawled out, eyes closed and her shirt had come up a little, revealing a spot where they could...

"TICKLE!" yelled her twin, lunging over and causing Imaru to laugh so hard she started to cry. Even the Jedi that were passing the room could hear her delighted and childish giggles and laughs.

* * *

The next morning, sleepy Jedi Masters who went to the room to meditate were rudely shocked awake. The waterfalls in the Room of One Thousand Fountains were red... and bubbly? When people saw that they all just _knew_ it wasn't good...

In the heated Council debate afterwards, it was decided that the troublemakers would be at least given adequate punishment, but a debate had ensued and finally become so boring that Mace Windu pulled out his book again and more Masters fell asleep rather than debate with the three that managed to stay (somewhat) focused. Needless to say, by the time that was over, many Masters had better than a full night's sleep, and a certain Master Windu had managed to finish another three chapters in the book he had been reading. And Master Yoda had found out the simple joys of poking other nearby Jedi with his cane. So everyone was somewhat happy and totally insane.

It had eventually been decided that the Jinn Corps. (as everyone had begun calling the small three- to foursome) would simply be allowed to exist as it was. It added spice to the life of the Temple, that was for sure, and it most definitely made it an amusing game to play. Because who had ever said that people couldn't play pranks _back_?

Answer: no one.

Therefore, Yoda immediately took it upon himself to bestow a small...erm...favor. Have a good time soon, the small Jedi would.

* * *

Meep. 

Yeah. I like meeps. Maybe, just maybe, I'll have the Jinn Corps. Go around randomly meeping at Jedi... fun. I like this idea already...

And a special thanks for all the names submitted! I've decided on a few to use, will give you the finalists next chappy! I promise I'll update quickly!

And for your entertainment...since people seemed to like it and I have Del'Cera Osirin sitting here to read over my shoulder and laugh his head off at this... ENJOY!

Me: QUI! YOU'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR A DAY! GET OUT HERE!

Qui: (whines) Do I have to? My head hurts...and I'm on sleep meds...my parents made me go onto them because of random insomniac habits.

Me: Well it's not like it's **my** fault you were drinking...

Qui: ...

MW: (turns corner and sees author) THERE SHE IS! GET HER!

Me: (starts getting run after by angry townspeople with pitchforks and torches) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

MW: WELL IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT I GOT MY HEAD DYED BLUE!

Liam: (defensively) It's not her fault...we all decided on it.

MW and townspeople: (skid to halt)

MW: What now?

Liam: Me 'n Imaru and Alcanar decided on it.

Me: You know that's not exactly the best thing to tell him right now...right?

Liam: Yeah. (whispers) Don't worry, we got a big surprise for 'im.

Imaru: Oh, c'mon Windu! Stop chasing the nice little author or else we'll tell the world that you adore your fuzzy bunny slippers!

MW: HOW **DARE** YOU!

Alcanar: Maybe this isn't the best idea, guys... AAAAH!

MW: (lunges for Jinn Corps.)

Liam, Alcanar, and Imaru all run down a hallway, Windu follows.

Liam: Did you set it up, 'Maru?

Imaru: Yeah, Liam... he should see it like two seconds before he hits it.

Liam: Perfect.

Alcanar: (giggles and runs faster)

MW: WHAT IS SO BLOODY FUNNY?

Liam: Trust me, Master, you'll know in a minute...

MW: (runs towards now stopped younglings, gets tangled up in large covering of Senatorial curtains and bedsheets) &#$! #$&! YOU LITTLE...! (gets large tub of water dumped on him)

Me: Wait...where am I in all this? Oh. Yeah. Back to get Qui. (turns around and thwacks into Qui)

Qui: With all the fun, I had to come along...

Me: (sighs and begins to laugh at the reaction of the three troublemakers)

Liam and Imaru: (singing) We did it! We did it! We got Master Windu! (collapse in giggling pile on top of Alcanar)

MW: THIS IS WAR AGAINST YOU!

Yoda: Hear of something funny going on, did I? Came to fetch me did little Enya.

Enya: (nods head and smiles shyly, running to Liam)

Yoda: (laughs quietly and tries to slink away)

MW: I'LL GET YOU, TROLL! YOU TOO!

Me: (sighs and scribbles pictures for self)


	10. Why must the sun shine so darkly?

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, don't sue.

Happy 2006! And thank you to all of you readers that reviewed, I love you all!

Yavië is back in town. She'll write the next chapter. I was just possessive over this one. (translation: mega-major pillow fight followed by her unsuccessful attempts at video gaming, namely Soul Calibur 2 and Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Okay, anyway, please enjoy. This is going to be slightly more serious, if at this point that's possible. Also, pretty soon, this story's going to take a jump in a few years, twisting the plot line to a darker, more twisted form. Hence our wonderful little rating. Just in case you want a hint at this, I'll put a preview at the end for you. If that doesn't interest you, hang on or stop reading. This story's going to get a lot more complex and Never Saw the Sun will begin to take on a literal meaning as about four characters die later on, and as one progresses into a strange state of what could be considered insanity.

Carry on into the new chapter.

* * *

**Why must the sun shine so darkly? **

She was standing by the window again. Ever since their arrival at the Temple had happened, almost a year ago now, so many changes had happened. She had gotten taller by about two inches. And stronger. She was starting to learn maturity, and many said she was unusually silent and even antisocial, preferring training alone or with the four to five others that tagged along almost all the time. When she spoke, it was generally something that made everyone stop and wonder what had brought her to that conclusion, and it nevertheless was always an apt observation that, with examination, made perfect sense. Somehow, she was a child no longer. Not an adult, not a teenager, but on the cusp of another world entirely.

Cool grey eyes following air vehicles, she turned as she heard quiet, tentative footsteps in her direction. Deep sapphire eyes met the coldness, and the two girls quietly exchanged a few words.

"Liam said that I could find you out here. Um, if it's not too much to ask, can I get a match?" asked the eight-year old Mon Calamari.

Nodding, Imaru turned.

"Nûniel. Training room seven, then." Walking briskly off, the seven-year old human made her way to what were officially her quarters, though she rarely if ever used them. The few friends she had made, Liam, Enya, Chiara, and now Nûniel, all slept in Liam's quarters still, along with herself and her twin, Alcanar. Changing into fresh robes, she gently brought down a pair of gloves. Where the fingers should have been in these, instead, the material of the gloves only came up to her knuckles, eliminating the need for grips on her training lightsabers.

Nûniel, on the other hand, went directly to Liam's quarters.

"She said yes! C'mon, you guys are going to want to watch," the Mon Calamari exclaimed. Whenever the proclaimed fighting genius of the Temple had a sparring match, the results were always spectacular. Very few people had ever managed to win against her, and only in her younger days. Masters Yoda, Windu, and Jinn so far were the only ones who had any chance whatsoever, and the only ones that had so far managed to defeat the little warrior.

As a result, Imaru Anij was in the highest sparring class, with those who were already Padawans and needed to brush up, or those who were about to become padawans. No one really knew where the girl would go after that; she would most likely be trained by Yoda himself.

Scoffing, Liam refused to get up. "You seriously think you can defeat 'er, Nûniel? You're whacked in the head..." Lazily yawning, he stretched, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Shaking her head, Nûniel retrieved her training lightsaber and was followed out the door by Chiara, a seven-year old human girl, just as much inferior to Imaru as anyone else was.

"I'm all for beating her, you know. I just can't. Remember last time?"

Last time, Chiara had held off the relentless attacks for three straight minutes before managing to get a strike in—though everyone knew it had just been a fluke. It had, however, taken 'Maru a full fifteen minutes to take Chiara down; a record if there ever was one. But that had been a while ago, and since then, Alcanar's twin had shown natural skills with the Niman style of combat—use of two or more sabers in battle. So far, she used two. And it was bloody hard to beat her.

* * *

Arriving at the training area a few minutes early, Imaru begin stretching in preparation for the upcoming spar. It would be good exercise... and well needed. It had been a few weeks since she had accepted her last match-up, and then she had practically been ordered by Bultar Swan. She would be a Master soon, and had decided to dispel the rumours calling Imaru a 'combat genius' and the 'Jedi prodigy child'. After fighting her, the padawan was immediately taken to the hospital ward. It had been her own fault, of course, for leaving herself unguarded. Therefore, no blame was spread, and Swan was actually on better terms with the girl than before. 

As Nûniel, followed by Chiara, Alcanar, Enya, and a tugged along Liam (by Enya) entered the room, they were greeted by a scowling Imaru.

"Ready?" she asked, simply. No other words were really needed.

"Sure, why not," responded Nûniel. Imaru was slightly shorter than she, so she had a slight advantage here...

Both girls moved to the center of the room. Bowing, both ignited their lightsabers. It was well-known that Imaru played until one contestant was unconscious or too tired to get up. This was for keeps.

Looking right into each other's eyes, the Mon Calamari only felt a small twinge of fear as the combat genius jumped into the air, and, with a somersault, engaged her opponent.

Clashing and twirling, it was clear that 'Maru was doing an offensive pattern with only one saber, devoting the other to pure defense. These sabers were not made to even draw blood, for they were training sabers, however, by the time that Imaru force-leapt above Nûniel's head and smashed both sabers down on the eight-year-old's single saber, a little slash had been made on her hand. Nothing major, it was ignored to allow the battle to continue.

Leaping off of that particular stance, Imaru propelled herself off of one wall, and shifted both sabers to one side as she began to fly off the walls at high speeds. Slashing at Nûniel, she then took up the ground and fought hand-to-hand. Twirling both in a confusing pattern, she was surprised to be deflected by the other girl, and in retaliation, kicked out with aid of the Force. Lifting her hand, she smashed the opposing girl to a wall, and as Nûniel got back up shakily, they met head on in a form of highly evolved dance. Twirling back and forth again, the child prodigy used both of her sabers to scissor forward and snake around the lone opposing one, wrenching it from Nûniel's grasp and throwing it easily to the other side of the room.

"You lose."

The words reverberated out as Imaru deactivated her twin sabers and left the room, not even having broken a sweat.

"She's good," was all Nûniel could gasp out before falling unconscious on the floor from sheer exhaustion.

* * *

Imaru was outside the Temple, crouched on the spire, looking out. The sun was falling in the sky, illuminating all of Coruscant in an eerie glow. Hovercars seemed to bask in the sun as they shot forward and upward, and the buildings were shown in their finest glory. But something still seemed wrong. 

There was still suffering.

Still death.

Still people that would go through the many things that they as slaves had been through. And then...

A few silent tears crept out of her eyes as she reflected on her rape. It had scarred her, both mentally and physically. No one had ever bothered to ask her what was wrong; she was destined to bear this pain alone. And so she would. It was what drove her to become the best Jedi she possibly could; no one deserved that kind of suffering. No one.

Watching the Coruscant sun set, she wondered at many things, the most evident being this:

The sun may shine brightly for everyone else; but why is it so dark and hidden from me? Why do my dreams forsake me when I need them?

Her only answer she could come up with?

_Because. You're weak._

* * *

That night, Liam got worried and sent Alcanar to find her sister. Enya followed along; for the past few weeks she had been totally enamoured to the girl of the autumn, and so she had clung onto her instead of Liam. 

Locating her sister quite rapidly, she found her on the spire of the Temple, fast asleep. Sighing and shaking her head, she shook Imaru awake and brought her down to Liam's room with the rest of them. After they entered, Chiara sighed in relief and moved to sleep next to her best friends, Alcanar and Imaru. She and Alcanar talked privately for quite a while and then fell fast asleep on the pillow, having resolved to speak with a Master tomorrow morning, as soon as it was possible.

* * *

The four of them walked purposefully. Imaru was still sleeping since they hadn't woken her up; besides, it was still rather early. 

Walking into the Room of One Thousand Fountains, they found Master Qui-Gon Jinn meditating. Liam jumped forward and tapped him, startling him out of his trance.

"Master Jinn," Alcanar said, bowing first and indicating that the others should do the same.

"It's about Imaru Anij. We're all worried about her," she continued.

"Yeah, she always hides and tries to distance herself from everyone simply for her studies or her own thoughts. She fell asleep on the Temple roof last night, Alcanar had to go find her," Chiara explained thoughtfully. "She also has a reserved interior, only a few people can tell what kind of mood she's in, she's...impassive. That's it. She's impassive and quiet. She doesn't express any emotions, and puts her entire life into her studies of combat and other field strategies and techniques."

"I had noticed that too. No seven-year old should act like that, but understand that she has had a hard life, young ones. A very hard life. Shhh, Alcanar, I know you had much the same, but in many ways your twin's was traumatic. She was very noble and sacrificed herself for you many times, but it was still very hard on her. She's still a child despite what people hail her as, and she is mature enough that she makes many forget that sometimes. They treat her like even a padawan at times because she acts much like one. Give her time. This may be something she can grow out of. Until then, I'll do my best," the large Master said, with a troubled expression on his face as his padawan Xanatos entered. The foursome left to go back to their quarters and awaken Imaru.

* * *

At the same time they left, Imaru had woken herself up and gotten into training mode. Moving to the training rooms, she began a slow routine with her sabers, and was joined by the usual people who she had come to regard as partners. Master Windu came first, and they all stretched and practice various stances and occasionally combat. Master Tahl entered next, followed by Padawan Swan. A few others entered, and eventually she began a pattern of whirls with her 'sabers. Eerily peaceful, they continued and then she slowly transformed her routine into a dance. Eyes closed, she could feel the others sliding into the same; they all could sense each other through the infinitely strong bonds through the Force. Each was an entity within a collective, yet their own individual. Each participant moved into a complex yet totally random 'dance', still peaceful and calm, their partners in this court their lightsabers. They were, after all, extensions of themselves. 

After a while, the pace picked up and it turned from a silent dance to a small brawl. It was a small game they had played before; each Jedi silently aligned him or herself with another Jedi in the room without telling each other. These teams of two would silently work apart until their team-member was threatened. This exercise of the Force helped Imaru to focus. All of the Masters worked still silently, eyes shut against the lightening sky. All in all, there were ten people in the room, Padawan Swan being the only padawan there. Imaru was the youngest. Besides those two, all of the rest were Masters.

Reaching out through the Force's branches and permeating them with her awareness, 'Maru was easily able to evade attacks while simultaneously sending opponents in the direction of Masters Windu and Tahl. Their work so far was excellent, and Imaru made a silent note to challenge her later.

Finally, they were rudely interrupted by someone entering the door. Qui-Gon Jinn stood in the doorway, curious as to why so many Force-sensitives were in one area of the Temple. All of the combatants turned as one, opening their eyes and deactivating their lightsabers.

"Imaru? Your sister was worried about you..." he trailed off, looking at the little girl. Here she was, among the top of the field! And she had gained recognition here, probably even started this group. She was sweating, though not heavily. The others? Besides Windu, most of them could hardly stand, they looked so exhausted. No wonder. Alcanar had been alarmed about three hours ago, because by the time they had gotten back from their little meeting with Qui-Gon, she had been gone. Apparently she had been hiding her Force-signature from her twin.

It had taken him three hours after that point to even find her.

Oh, well. Both twins could be a handful. But Alcanar at least had common sense. Well... Imaru did too. It was just more... feral. Instinctive. Which was fine for anyone but a Jedi. She would learn.

The little girl turned her face to Qui-Gon and asked, "What did she want, Master Jinn?"

"Oh, nothing really, she just couldn't find you. What were you doing back there, with the other Jedi?" he asked, intent on finding out what he had witnessed.

"A while ago, I started going early in the mornings to train for the Niman style, you know, dual lightsabers. Eventually, though, Master Windu found me and told me I'd have to stay in bed. Unless he could practice in the mornings with me. So he did, and eventually the others sensed us and followed. I guess you could call it a dance. We start with stretches, then a few basic positions meant for better meditation, and then we just tap into the Living Force and use it to create a separate kind of 'dance', you might say. We allow the Force to guide us. We sometimes spar, but the whole time we're in there, we're silent and our eyes are closed. It's a great way for me to practice a few skills."

Afterwards, Master Jinn could see why people called her brilliant. She was already accessing a branch of the Force that many never learned. He hadn't even attempted it, it was so difficult. Very few had mastered it, including his friend Tahl, Mace Windu, and Yoda, to name most of them. Bultar Swan? She had been born with the ability and had had to learn normal Force skills. She never had totally learned it, though, or else she wouldn't be just good, she could be close to Imaru's level.

Which could turn out interestingly.

Sometimes, he wondered if bringing the twins back was the best idea.

* * *

"You're getting a new trainer? Already?" Alcanar exclaimed along, then remembered she wasn't supposed to talk about this aloud. 

_:Yes. I graduated the class with perfect marks. So Master Jinn will most likely be teaching me, and if I surpass him, then Yoda.:_

_:But you've already surpassed Master Jinn, right:_

_:Only in the Niman style. He uses Ataru, and I want to perfect that side of combat for myself. It sacrifices defense entirely and turns all those capabilities towards offense. If I can learn that with my right hand, then I'll be golden for another few years.:_

_:I see...you've been slacking off in team training though, as well as some practical classes, like math, perhaps:_

_:Well it's not _my_ fault I'm horrible at them. You should teach me, after all, you are in one math class above. That's how we met __Nûniel.:_

_:I can help you, not do it for you. Oh, and that reminds me. You haven't totally mastered Level Four healing, what's this with asking Yoda to move you up ANOTHER level? You know, it's actually okay to only be two classes ahead...or none at all...:_

_:No. I need perfection for what I'm trying to do. I've got to be the best Jedi out there. That way I can protect others:_

As her sister pushed her out of her mind, Alcanar felt growing urgency and a strong need to fulfill this wish. She accepted it, and placed a warm hand on the taller twin's shoulder.

"Sister, I'll do anything I can to help you," she resolved aloud.

Without looking away, 'Maru registered it. "Promise?"

"Promise. And I won't ever break it, either."

At which point Imaru wondered aloud where Enya was. Neither of them saw Enya until a few moments later, where they found her underneath a table in the cafeteria, sleeping with a small and squishy ball in her arms.

* * *

Heh.

Sorry for the delay, once again.

Tomorrow I go back to school with Yavië, and so it's going to be pretty busy. We're back to the regular update cycle, where it'll be about a week before you get an update, maybe more, maybe less. Sorry!

And I did promise you a sneak preview, did I not?

It's at the bottom. Maybe you'll like it, maybe not... but it's a guarantee. After you read this, if you like it, you're going to have to keep reading! Muahaha! It's a cliffhanger!

Oh, and I swear, the next chapter is Yavië's. She hasn't written enough. Just screwed around horribly with my video games. (shoots twin)

Ah, well.

TTYL! And please review! You guys rock!

-Anij Jinn

* * *

Preview of the chapter '**Fallen too far in an illusion**'

'Deformography' by Marilyn Manson

_When you  
Wish upon a star  
Don't let  
Yourself fall  
Fall in too far_

_I fell into you and I'm on my back  
An insect decaying in your little trap  
I squirm into you, now I'm in your gut  
I fell into you, now I'm in a rut  
"i lift you up like the sweetest angel,  
i'll tear you down like a whore.  
CHORUS  
i will bury your god in my warm spit,  
you'll be deformed in your porn"  
rock star, yeah (you're such a dirty, dirty)  
rock star, yeah (dirty, dirty, dirty) _

you eat up my heart and all the little parts  
your star is so sharp  
it leaves me jagged holes  
I make myself sick just to poison you  
if I can't have you then no one will  
(CHORUS)

* * *

Normally, they would have called it a stormy night.

Normally, though, the rain would be made out of water.

Not of blood.

And this was only the first of many nights where even hell would cry out in anguished protest.

A monster had been released. A killer was on the run.

* * *

A shadow flicked from rooftop to rooftop, sight set on a small building that had once housed a mentor, a friend. Now he was the enemy. And now Cain, the eternal killer, had come to claim him. Jumping down from the rooftop, the slender figure drew a blaster and, with precision and skill, shot the lock off the door. Simply raising a hand from a few feet away, the shadow made the door fly inward, and as the wind worsened, the figure stepped inward and immediately fell into a scarily...familiar stance. Making no attempt at stealth any longer, the shape became a demon, a beast that had been released from the inside. While the actual shape of the figure did not change, the mask they had worn before grew thin, an inner devil had taken hold and thus far refused to let go. Reaching behind their back as they flew up the metal staircase, the soon-to-be assassin drew the hilt of something dark. Something dangerous, and not just physically. Allowing it to fly around as the beast rushed toward the smell of sweat and human bodies, the goal was reached. The final door.

Cocking its head, and hearing small sounds, the noise of people talking nervously, having heard the intruder, the individual being spoken of burst through the door, and with a flick of a wrist turned the lights off. Only the glow of a laser would illuminate the person's hands before reaching out to caress the flesh it had been made to claim.

* * *

Looking at the scene later, blood stained the walls, floor, and furniture. All the same, this had been a skilled killer indeed... no traces of identity had been left at all, save a possible one. As soon as that was analyzed by the police force, a Jedi was called. When asked why, all the frightened officer had to do was point at one of the many wounds and the Master understood.

_It had been done by a lightsaber._

Hope you liked it! Stay tuned later for this chapter!


	11. Tears of Healing

Disclaimer: (bends down on knees) You're the bestest person in the world, George. Can I have- No? WHY NOT! grrr... evil. Not mine, don't sue.

A/N: I am SO sorry it took so long, like... a month... erm... yeah. Chaos was reigning my life, as was school work, and general confusion.But we're back! I don't think we'll have such long delays again any time soon, so w00t and yay for that.

Thanks to the Editor for such great suggestions, and big thanks to Del'Cera Osirin for beta-reading. (And all other reviewers, now that we mention it, you make our world go 'round.)

-Yavië Jinn

* * *

Chappy XI: Tears of Healing 

* * *

"'Maru- you've been so quiet lately. What's wrong?"

Alcanar rested her small hand on her twin's shoulder, a concerned look in her eyes. Imaru had been sitting and staring out the window, separated from the group, until Alcanar had noticed and promptly decided to remedy that fact.

"I'm fine, sister dearest."

Alcanar gently poked her in the shoulder. "No, you're not. We've all noticed it, even Master Qui-Gon. You've seemed so sad, it makes me worry when you're like this. I don't want you to hurt, 'Maru."

Imaru was silent for a time, but when she spoke, her voice was very soft. "There's nothing you can do for me, Alca. And we can't talk here, not with everyone listening."

"Alright then, tonight, we're going up and spending the night in the Observatory. The stars are beautiful from there, and late at night, there won't be too many people. We can talk then, but I want to talk with you."

Imaru just stared at her blankly.

"Look, 'Maru, you're coming. I'll bring something for us to curl up under, it can get chilly up there at night."

Slowly nodding, Imaru turned back to the window. With a parting poke to the shoulder, Alcanar left her alone and rejoined the group of plotting younglings.

* * *

Later that night, Imaru and Alcanar snuck out of their room that they shared with Nûniel, Liam, Enya, and Chiara, Alcanar with a large bundle under her arm. When Imaru had seen it, she had looked at it questioningly.

_:Um, Alca? What's that: _

Her sister had merely placed her finger on her lips and smiled.

They stole silently through the wide halls of the Temple, making their way to the Observatory. Just as Alcanar had predicted, it was deserted. They scurried into a far corner, where Alcanar laid down the bundle.

"So, Alca, where'd you get the blankets? I didn't know they were missing. You're more of a little sneak thief than I thought. Where'd you find them, the laundry?"

Alcanar's grin just grew broader. "Even better." With a dramatized flourish, she shook it open. "What does it look like to you?"

Noticing that it had a hood and sleeves, Imaru smirked slightly. "You did it again, Alca. I swear, you're obsessed with that crazy robe. Does Master Jinn knew you took it?"

Still grinning, Alcanar grabbed one of the hems and buried her face in the soft wool cloth. "Nope! This is a spare, though, he brought his other one on his mission. And yes, I happen to like his robe." With that, she made a small sound that sounded curiously like "mrrp."

"What the- did you just go mrrp?"

"mmmhm! fwrrp?"

"You're insane, sister. But I love you anyways. So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"You've been so quiet. You almost never spend time with the other younglings, you're always by yourself, and you seem to be so sad. I know you've always been quieter, but now, ever since we got to the Temple, you're isolating yourself. I still love you, Kaisha, but I'm worrying about you."

With the use of the old nickname that Ele had affectionately used, Imaru turned to face her.

"Whatever would we do without worrying sisters?"

"You'd be a sad person, Kaisha. But now you're stalling. Talk. Now. What in the name of the Force is bothering you?"

"Alca... do you remember what happened to me on the way out of Jabba's palace?"

Alcanar quivered at the thought. "Yes, I do. Is it still bothering you? How can I help? Do you think that you should talk to a mind healer, or a Master, like the little troll, or Master Jinn? I think they know more about this than me."

"NO. Don't tell anyone, please. You deserve to know, I endured it for you, to protect you. I know you're older, but you're not brutal enough to have survived as a slave on your own, I've always been your protector. I would've done anything for you, sister."

Looking slightly put out, Alcanar sent a piercing look in her twin's direction. "I still think that I should tell someone, so they can help. Master Jinn, at least. Why not? You've protected me, physically at least, but... afterwards, I've done everything I can so that I don't see you hurting. That was the worst part about being a slave, all the people in pain. I couldn't stand it, and now I still don't like seeing you hurting like this. All I want is for you to be happy."

"That's what makes us different. You're so compassionate. It's a good trait for a Jedi, and a healer at heart like yourself. But I'm different. I don't mind being alone now, it's not that bad, though I do still love you. But I have to stay strong, and I don't think that the Masters can even help me. But to go asking for help afterwards, that's just weak of me. I'll deal with it on my own."

"It's not a weakness to ask for help. Especially after what you've been through. It just hurts me to see the one person I am closest to, who I've known all but a couple minutes of my life, in such pain. Anything I can do for you, I will. At least spend some more time with us. Please."

Imaru reached over and patted her twin on the head, stroking the tangled mass of dark hair that continuously flopped into Alcanar's face.

"If it would make you happier, I will. You have my word on that one. At least some more time. But I will keep throwing myself into saber practice and all, I need to become the best Jedi I can be."

"That's fine, 'Maru. That's a good goal for you. I'm glad that you could at least talk some to me. However, as nice as your lovely chatter is, I'm tired. I, unlike you, don't have unlimited energy and saber skills. How's abouts we take advantage of this lovely robe we have, curl up, and go to sleep?"

The two unfolded the robe and laid it out like a blanket, curling up next to each other under the deep brown folds of cloth. To Alcanar, it seemed to contain the essence of the big Jedi to whom it belonged.

"Good thing that Master Jinn is so big, or we wouldn't be able to both fit under here."

Imaru grinned at that, then reached out towards Alcanar's hair again. "You need to cut this mess, Alca, or at least control it. Get it out of your face. See, I was smart to cut all my hair off."

Smiling mischievously, Alcanar tugged on her sister's short red hair. "Heh. I can still pull yours, though. You can't win." With that, she smiled contentedly, clinging onto Imaru's shoulder and resting her head in that general vicinity. Very soon, she was dead out asleep and snoring slightly. _/Always love your sleep, sister. I'm glad I could put your mind to rest some... but then, there's still my mind to worry about. Ah well./ _Sinking into a slight meditative trance, Imaru also drifted to sleep, huddled with her sister under a robe on the floor of the Temple Observatory.

* * *

"I- OH! I see them, they're back in that corner! Master Yoda, I found them! Oy!"

Imaru awoke to hear the voice of Xanatos in her ear. Immediately she sprung up from her sleep, while Alcanar merely turned over and mumbled something like "people yelling...huh? I wanna sleep, there's a bantha after my lightsaber... the banthas are coming..."

"Idiot sister person! You're in the Temple, no banthas here!" Imaru turned to Xanatos, who was looking a bit panicked. "What's wrong, Xani? What do you need us for?"

"It's Master Jinn. He was seriously injured when we were away on our mission, I know that the two of you are also fairly close to him, and that you both, and especially Alcanar, are good healers, we were wondering if you might be able to help him in any way."

At the words 'Master Jinn' and 'seriously injured,' Alcanar's head had shot up in alarm, suddenly awake. "Where is he? We need to hurry."

Xanatos smiled at her response. "At the Healers, in the intensive care unit. I do believe that hurrying might be beneficial to his health and survival."

Banishing the fog of sleep from her mind, Yavië stumbled up and started to run in the general direction of the Healers, still clinging tightly to Qui-Gon's robe.

When the three arrived at the Healers, they found Qui-Gon, comatose, stretched out on one of the longer beds. His chest was deeply bruised, and there were several places where the skin had been broken, in some places more deeply than others. His hair looked to have mostly come out of his half-ponytail, the brown streaked and matted with the rusty colour of dried blood. One shoulder appeared to have been hit by a blaster bolt, and both his arms were hooked up to various IV pumps.

Alcanar placed her hand on his uninjured shoulder. "What- what happened to him? He looks absolutely terrible."

Bowing his head, Xanatos explained quietly. "While we were on our mission, he had left our apartments to go out and take a walk around the city, though I don't know what he was up to. I was a bit tired, so I stayed back in our quarters. We had a formal banquet to go to that night, so my Master said that he'd be back relatively soon. I waited relatively patiently for him to return until it was about a half an hour until the banquet, when I decided to go out to search for him. I tried to follow his Force-signature, but it was fairly weak, i got the sense that it was unconscious. I ended up wandering around the city for quite a while, until I finally found him, like this, in a small alley. His Force-sense was seriously dampened, which had been what had given me the problems, but I don't know why. I commed the Council as soon as I managed to drag him back to our quarters, and they agreed to let us come back and send another team to finish the negotiations. He hasn't regained consciousness at all, and we still don't know what happened. I hope you can do something..."

The young girl nodded slowly, placing her small hands on the Jedi Master's temples. "I'll do what I can. I've never even tried to heal something this serious before, though, I don't know how much I can help, but-"

She was cut off by Imaru. "Alca. Shut up and work. We know this is big, but just do it."

"Okay, I'll see what I-"

"Sis. Work. Now."

With that, she closed her eyes, reaching out to what she now knew well to be the Force. She felt Imaru's support beside her, giving her energy. She reached out to the wounds of the battered body before her, asking the Force for assistance, the pure song of the midichlorians filling her ears, as they always did while she was healing. Pushing waves of healing into Qui-Gon's body, she abandoned her physical self, existing only as a being in the Force.

How long this continued, she couldn't be sure. When she eventually returned to herself, she looked down at Qui-Gon, and, to her disappointment, he was still unconscious, and the wounds on his shoulder was barely healed. Though his Force-signature was a bit stronger, it didn't pulsate with his usual pure light. It seemed as if Alcanar had barely done anything.

"I-I did try. I did everything I could. I'm sorry I couldn't do more, but I'm drained now, even with 'Maru's help 'n energy. Is there anything else we can do?"

Xanatos looked over at her. "We'll wait for him, hope that he gets better. Hope that the Force is with him. I know that you did everything that you could, Alcanar, but I guess none of us are all-powerful."

Imaru looked up at that. "Well, why not? Maybe we should be. Then we wouldn't have people suffering like this."

Swaying with exhaustion, Alcanar sat down heavily in a chair beside the bedside. "I think that that's one thing we'll never know, sister.

* * *

Qui-Gon remained in his unconscious state for days still after Alcanar's attempt to heal him. He did not get significantly better, but at least he didn't get too much worse. However, the Healers still worried for him. No one knew why he was still unconscious, it was most unusual for any Jedi to be so incapacitated for so long. He spent quite a bit of time in and out of bacta treatment, and his Padawan and the two girls were always by his side, barely taking time to eat, and they had even been given permission to miss classes to be with him.

After he had been unconscious for a week, though, people started to get even more nervous about him. Master Yoda came and visited, probing into his Force-awareness, trying to find clues to help him, and getting nothing but the sense of an exceptionally deep meditative state. Qui-Gon had been receiving nutrients and liquid through an IV tube, but was weakening substantially. At this point, it was decided that Alcanar try again, linking with Imaru and Xanatos for additional energy.

This time silent, she went through her usual healing routine, drawing from Imaru and Xanatos, feeling the power that they held within them, as well as her own. Instead of gently probing and reassuring, though, she pushed, forced life into the withering body of the Jedi Master, grabbing at any shreds of his mind, yanking them back to physical life. Holding back nothing at all, she willingly sapped the energy out of her companions and into Master Jinn.

But when she was done, and almost passed out from overexertion, as were Xanatos and Imaru, he was still lying supine on the hospital table, no better than before. Alcanar let out a cry in hopelessness, nearly sobbing.

"I can't do it! His mind has gone so far from his body, I can't bring it back, there's nothing anyone can do. Not even Master Yoda could..."

Now full out crying, she bent over the Jedi, examining his peaceful-looking face. As she leaned over, one of her tears slid off her chin, landing on Qui-Gon's cheek. As if this was a signal, the only thing that pierced through his deep trance, he stirred faintly. As Alcanar felt the small movement, she looked up, her tears turning to those of joy. Qui-Gon's blue eyes flickered open to meet her now-joyous gaze, then looked around to see his loyal Padawan and little Imaru standing with him as well. He tried to speak, but his voice was weak from being unused so long, so Xanatos quickly fetched a glass of water from the hospital sink beside Qui-Gon's bed. Raising it to his Master's lips, he helped him drink, and then, speak.

"Padawan- thank you- so much. 'Maru, Alca... you- you're like daughters... you didn't need to help me, stay so long... I felt your touch, it called me back. I love you- all three of you, like my own children. Thank you."

With that, he fell back into unconsciousness, but this time into a light sleep, peaceful and healthy. Quietly, Imaru went to tug on the robes of a Healer to tell her of the Master's recovery.

* * *

Okay, a couple of questions: We're going to be skipping ahead a few years soon to where the girls are a bit older, and get to the main story. (finally!) But there's still a bit of background we need to get established first, and were wondering if we should go into more detail and prolong it over the next few chapters, or summarize it and, as God, the army, and the Old Man from Scene 24 said: "GET ON WITH IT!"

Your input is greatly appreciated, and to do that, I suppose you have to REVIEW! You know you want to...

(waves hand)


	12. Reflections and Refractions

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, don't sue...

Thanks in particular to The Editor. Just as a sidenote, any other people who want to put in criticism, go ahead and flame if you want, Yavie and myself will just sit back...and laugh...at the ceiling fan.

Muahahaha.

Two packs of Skittles contributed to this insanity...I'm still writing a good chapter here, though...

Anyway, before my mindless pratter goes on and dissolves your mind itself, I conclude this with a simple thanks to all still reading.

* * *

**Reflections and Refractions**

Alcanar rose and, as was her custom by now, stopped by the hospital ward in the Temple to see Qui-Gon. Imaru followed her silently; she loved him just as deeply as Alcanar did. By now, there was no doubt in their minds as to who they could trust. It was always Qui-Gon, Xanatos, each other. Though not necissarily in that order...

"Alca? Qui-Gon gets out today or tomorrow, then we won't have to keep visiting him. It'll be fun, we can go bounce on his bed in the mornings instead," Imaru giggled, for once happy and quite at peace with her joy.

"'Maru...You know that we can't get in his quarters unless he has like three bedrooms there, one for his Padawan, one for him-"

"And one for us. Of course. But Liam and Chiara and Nuniel and Enya would have to come, too," Imaru protested.

"Kaikai? Enya follows me everywhere, and Liam when she can't find me. Look, back there."

Apparently Imaru hadn't felt the tiny child's Force-signature, for she turned around and nearly bumped into a sleepy Enya, still clutching a small stuffed penguin.

"Oops! Sorry, Enya!" she said quietly.

Enya looked up curiously, and then jumped out and randomly gave Imaru a hug.

"Meepmeep," the child said quite seriously, with such a somber expression on her face that it made Alcanar laugh and then take the child's hand in her own.

"C'mon, Enya. Let's go see Master Jinn." Alcanar lovingly walked alongside Enya, and it was apparent to anyone that she had become the new 'Liam' simply due to her kindness and sacrificing personality.

"Goomorning, Qui-Gon!" Imaru practically shouted as she jumped up to see the large Master.

"Meep!" Alcanar and Enya shouted in unison.

Qui-gon slowly looked at Alcanar, then Imaru, then Enya, then the cieling. After which, he promptly began to laugh.

"Good morning, girls," he said, and was about tosay something more when Alcanar interrupted.

"Why are you wearing that weird-ish robe, Master Jinn?"

He looked mock thoughtful for just a moment, then turned back to Alcanar.

"Perhaps because a certain little youngling took away a certain robe that the Healers were unable to find..." he looked stern for a minute but the expression on the seven-year-old's face made him smile broadly. He had known who had taken it, anyway. And it wasn't like it mattered... but if he wasn't careful, he'd be guarding his robe forever...

* * *

"Master Jinn! You are not by any means well enough to leave!"

"Then I apologize in advance for my absence." He was packing his clothes and lightsaber into a small bag to carry with him back to his quarters.

"I would argue, but I know you better than that...just make sure that you don't go too hard on yourself, alright?"

Mutely nodding, the tall Jedi walked out of the hospital ward and was immediately ambushed by a small gaggle of younglings. From the little crowd, he could pick out Alcanar, Nuniel, Enya, Liam, and Chiara. At the same time he began to recieve waves of laughter and heard the quiet footsteps of his padawan in the doorway.

It was all he could do not to smile. He reached down and gave a few of the children hugs and then shooed them away until only Alcanar and Xanatos were left.

"Alcanar. Where is your sister?" he asked, growing a little concerned. He knew all too well that the young girl liked to be alone, where she could think clearly, and often solve her own problems. Ever since her rough childhood, she had been dealing with issues, he knew. She rarely confided in anyone, and due to the thoughts that plauged her so often, she was usually introverted and serious.

"I dunno, Master Jinn. She said she was going to come with us, but she didn't show up. I think I know where she is, though, if it helps," she commented. Stopping for breath, she began talking again;

"She usually hides near the generators for the waterfalls in the Room of One Thousand Fountains. It gets really dark there, but sometimes at night she goes outside, or in the observatory with me."

"She needs to participate in more group activities..." he murmured. The girl may be quiet, but this was almost like a paranoia of people. She needed to reach out to more than just her sister and perhaps the Masters.

* * *

Imaru sat silently in the warm near-darkness, completely content with where she was. She was sitting cross-legged on a catwalk corner above the power core of the Temple, looking down into the fiery red mixed with yellow. They were pretty colors to her, and she liked them more than anything else. Except for green. Green was the prettiest color of them all.

A small vibration alerted her to someone's presence. Reaching out with the Force, she could tell it was Qui-Gon, Alcanar, and Enya.

Another vibration decided it. They were looking for her. Getting up, she turned to meet them.

"Master Jinn. It's good to see you out." Bowing, she walked out of her corner and followed them out to the main hallway. 'Maru looked pensive and was unusually talkative, as though nothing was wrong. Alcanar brushed it to the side and decided that she could look on it later.

* * *

A small boy, slightly younger than the twins, played in the sand, building castles. Imaru walked up to him and began to play, too. The skies were clear, a good sign for the day. S'ratha worked nearby, keeping an eye on Alcanar, who was playing on top of their small hut. Imaru contined playing as bounty hunters began to walk by, to see the Hutt who owned her. It happened almost every day... The little boy, scared, got up quickly to run away, but fell on his feet right in front of one of the Hunters, tripping him.

"Foul slave..." said the man, lifting the child up, "You aren't even worthy of **life** and yet you act like you run this place..." Pulling out his blaster, the green-armoured Hunter shot the child twice, once the the neck and once in the head, at point-blank range. The child moaned and slid down to the sandy ground, already dead.

"NOOOO! Karem! Brother! Karem!" Imaru screamed, over and over again as the various bounty hunters laughed at her reaction. As they walked off, her tears of hatred and sadness began to mingle with the sand below her, and wind began to whip up in a storm.

_Karem..._

The thought echoed in her head for hours. A sandstorm began to develop, and as S'ratha ran out to protect her little child, Imaru, from the stinging sand. Storms like this could kill a small child. Imaru fought her tooth and nail, and eventually was released and left alone.

"Kai! You'd better think about coming in... I know you cared about Karem but he's dead. Gone. He wouldn't want you to die, too."

With that, the older woman stalked back to take care of the more sensible twin. The sandstorm whipped Imaru's long hair around her, and knocked her down, effectively blinding her for the while. As she fell and succumbed to the sands around her, she heard a voice.

_Kai? It's me. Karem._

The child appeared before her.

_K-Karem? How are you here? You...you didn't..._

She began to cry helplessly, watching the boy she had once called 'brother', walk towards her.

_You're not alive! You're not here!_

He patted her on the shoulder, and the swirling colour around them became clear. She saw her body, being overcome by the sand, while she stood up here, flying.

_You're dying, Kai. If you want a chance at living, you have to be strong, be yourself. Look to avenge me later. Now's not the time. Now GO!_

With that, she was forced out of the reality that had been created and into her own body...just in time to open her eyes and see Alcanar and Qui-Gon standing over her, worried.

"It was just a nightmare, 'Maru...just a dream..."

* * *

Or was it? You asked for a little fill-in for history, you got it! I'm going to put in more later, but in the form of meditation. Then we're going to make our little time jump. Fun, aye?

Anyway, reviews are more than appreciated. And please join the Dark Side, we have cookies... just kidding )

Del'Cera Osirin's sitting over here laughing his head off at fanfiction, if you wrote a story and he reviews it, I (Anij) will write a brief fic with YOU as a star in it!

And the 100th review gets a picture of a manga character of my creation. Email me if you're the 100th!

More coming soon.

Love you all!

-Anij Jinn


	13. It's Not All Fun and Games

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. The guy in the flannel shirt's, AKA Lucas.

Note: The last chapter...sucked. And I'm sorry about offending anyone, the owrds came out waaay wrong and thus, it sounded like I asked for no criticism. Such is not the case, and I apologize. Seriously. I'm sorry.

And the long update time is due to severe burn-out and writer's block...Both myself and Yavie burned out to the point where we couldn't even look at the story, much less write it. Add in a couple Shakespeare reasearch papers, a few essays on Macbeth and Oedipus Rex, the book The Color of Water, several Bio assignments, and a lot of work in the way of graphics design, and you have our lives...sorry, seriously.

We're getting there, please review. Let's say...reveiwer 100 gets...ummm...(thinks) a letter from us? And pictures to laugh at? And maybe their name in the story?

Yeah, ok, I'm finally almost done. The other reason I haven't been updating is that I've had saeveral nice stories I've been working on. One of them, which was started after we published the previous chappy of NstS, now outweighs the word count here; must fix! And if you're feeling nice...(hint hint hint) check out our other stories...especially mine...Azrael, Tourniquet of Tears, Pleasure Before your Pain and Tears, and Soaring the Skies...(hint hint) reviews are appreciated... Heh.

More reviews means more chapters!

Oh, yeah... before this chapter begins, a song that I'd like to introduce to tie in the chapter...these are most of the lyrics...

THE REMEMBERANCE BALLAD (by Atreyu)

These days are closing in.  
The end has become apparent.  
We're only here for so long.  
Will anyone remember my name  
When time has washed away  
The dust…of my ashes?  
When my head rests in a velvet lined casket?  
What's out there?  
What is my eternal fate?  
It only just recently hit me  
That this life…is just a state.  
Mortality fading,  
Like the innocence of love,  
I'm scared to death  
Of what's to become

Of my immortal soul   
Of this eternal flame, will you remember?  
Will your heart sing with pain?  
Who calls out my name?  
Who can tell me what happens,  
When my eyes close for the last time?  
Does it all simply end, in a blanket of darkness?  
What of my soul, what of my soul?

All those things you couldn't say, you should have said.  
All those "I love you"s lost,  
Weighed more like lead on your chest.  
All those things you couldn't say, you should have said.  
All those "I love you"s lost,  
Weighed more like lead on your chest.

* * *

**It's Not All Fun and Games**

**(And you can't always be the hero)**

"'Maru?" Chiara asked, grinning widely at the sleepily yawning Imaru.

"Wha—what?" she asked, cut off by another yawn.

"Sleepyhead...get up!" she yelled, beginning to gently whack the younger girl with assortments of pillows. "Oh, c'mon, Kai-chan! There's a thunderstorm," she tried once more, using the Force to levitate a blanket on the sleeping girl's head while maintaining a distance from her. Imaru was decidedly not a morning person.

"Thunderstorm? Where?" 'Maru asked, dressed in her light purple fleecies.

"Outside, hurry up!" yelled Chiara, joining Liam and Nûniel on their way out. All of them were still wearing their 'fleecies', or sleepwear. Enya was brought along by Liam, who gave her a piggy-back ride.

It was already raining as the small group of children gathered at the side of the Temple to watch the thunderstorm. They did this nearly every time there was a storm, and so far, they hadn't gotten caught. The rain was cool and clean, and most of them lifted their heads to the sky to drink in the rain water. As the lightning struck one of the many electrical attractors in the area, Enya would cover her ears. She loved rain, not thunder. It scared her.

Chiara, on the other hand, was enjoying herself immensely. The rain was soothing and calming from her usual hyperactive and overly talkative behaviour. The thunder gave her ideas for art, since her painings already decorated the space she was **supposed** to be living in. But she had already thrown her lot inwith Liam, Enya, Nûniel, and now the Jinn twins. Thus the name Jinn Corps. had come from it and led the entire group into identifying themselves as Jinns.

Liam leaned into the wind, letting the Force keep him steady. Putting his arms out, he called to Imaru.

"Hey, Imaru! I'm flying!" Grinning widely, he watched in wonder as the lightning came down again, the rain beginning to pick up. Seating himself next to Enya, he listened to the small giggles that she emitted and smiled, gently picking her up and seating her in his lap. Watching her snuggle close to him to watch the rain she was carefully shielded from, he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, almost forgetting that he wasn't old enough to be a father yet. It seemed so natural to take care of her as if she was his, or at least his sister. He had always loved her, from the moment she had looked at him and run over to cling to him. And at the same time, he knew that it was against the Jedi Code to love. But this was alright, wasn't it? He would ask later.

Enya looked up at Liam, snuggling close to his chest and burying her head in the blue flannel he was wearing. When he placed a kiss on his head, she giggled again.

"Muah!" she said, giving a big air-kiss to him. When he looked down she was curled up again, wide green eyes open to the rain that Kai and Alca called 'triau'. She meeped once and settled back in.

Nûniel still stood with her mouth open to the rain. Her salmon-pink skin absorbed some of the rain, taking it as a blessing. It made her wonder what her homeland was like, for the Jedi Master that had found her had once told her she was from Coruscant. She didn't know, and wanted to see the land of water. That was what some of the other Jedi called it, the land where water was everywhere. Smiling, she tried to remember what it was that she had remembered from her childhood last night, but couldn't. Shrugging mentally, she decided to let it come back whenever it wanted to. Force knew she forgot enough, including when to go to sleep and lunchtime. This wasn't too important in comparison.

Imaru surveyed her friends, and simply enjoyed the rain and thunder. Watching the lightning intently, she pondered on the creation of it. The Force had to somehow be pushed out of the atmosphere to create the light, which resulted in extreme heat and a flash of light. The other part of the explanation was the weather patterns around her. Cold temperatures clashed with hot ones, and this was how the energy was pushed out. It all fit together, like the perfect piece to finish a puzzle. Deciding to talk to Alcanar about it later, she went over to tickle Enya and placed her own small kiss on the chibi's head. Smiling gently, she looked around at the hovercrafts and starships around her, waving at random small children as they passed by. It was a great pleasure to make someone smile, and an even greater one simply because of how uncomplicated it was. The simpler things in life were the ones she lived for.

* * *

"Okay people!" Nûniel practically screamed, trying to be heard over the massive pillowfight going on. Finally, enlisting Imaru's help, she had all of the pillows Force-lifted and got everyone's attention. "Get a few things from your other rooms and bring them all back here! Stuff you'll be comfortable with, blankies, pillows, and a few decorations and books." The Jinn Corps. had finally managed to rid Liam's room of a bed, a chair or five, and a few other items that were deemed unnecessarily huge for a room with six kids living in it. Since there were two rooms, there was enough room for them...minus two potted plants and an entertainment console. They had all moved the holovideo projector into Liam's closet, so that they could just open up the closet door whenever they wanted it.

"Liam! You sleep here," Chiara pointed, motioning to a corner in the larger second room. "Next to him, Enya, and in the corner beside Liam's is Nûniel, then me, then 'Maru, then Alcanar. All good!" she shouted, running down the hallway outside to her 'other' room.

* * *

Liam had already decided to keep a couple pillows, a beanbag chair he had snitched, a few stuffed animals, a small potted tree to shade his corner, and an old meditation rug. It had been easy, and Enya had already chosen her little plant that she liked to take care of; a Telosian Nightbloom Flowering Tree. They all called it simply a Nightbloom, and its flowers would open in shades of orange, purple, yellow, and pink at dusk.

Alcanar picked a couple poetry books, a collapsible drawing easel, a few graphite pencils, a pillow, a blankie, and, after debate, picked up a picture of herself and Imaru from their toddler years.

Chiara had brought her own small easel, a collection of paints, a pillow and fur blanket, as well as a teddy bear. Well, okay, it wasn't a teddy, it was a penguin. But who cared? Dragging a couple paintings from her room along, she finally made it back to the Jinn Corps. HQ.

Imaru brought several manga books, as well as a few science-fiction novels that she and her sister cherished and loved. Bringing along a black canopy to hang from the wals to cover her corner, she also brought along a pillow and a blanket. Hers wasn't a typical blankie, it was like Chiara's and made of fur. False fur, but it was warm, soft, and efficient. Not to mention light to carry...

Nûniel wanted a small fountain, and so she had asked Liam to snitch one of the small Zennish ones from the old training rooms. Aside from that, she had the typical pillow-blankie set, as well as a stuffed animal in the shape of a cat. Smiling, she stuffed a couple candy packets into her pillowcase. She loved sugar.

* * *

"What are those crazy kids up to?" Xanatos asked someone. The person's only responce was to shrug and walk away. Following them curiously, hefinally ended up in front of their 'headquarters'. Hearing more giggling than should have been legal, he decided that he didn't want to know.

* * *

The next day, it was the average day at the Temple until...

'BANG!'

Oh Sith...Mace Windu and a hundred-odd younglings charged out of the cafeteria to find what was probably three or four thousand balloons of different colours. Some were green, some were pink, some were purple, cerulean, blue, red, white, yellow, orange, and every other shade of the rainbow. As they floated down, each youngling scrambled for one of their own. Inside each was probably six or seven pieces of candy. Plus a watergun.

_Oh, no. This sin't going to be good._

Mace Windu tried to leave the scene as a hundred-odd younglings plus whoever else was out by now started their own water fight, complete with hyperactivity from the candy.

Later, Yoda would inquire as to why 'so wet you are, Master Windu'. And the only answer he would get was the cold shoulder.

* * *

"That was absolutely _brilliant_, Imaru!"

"Yeah! Amazing in itself!"

"We've **gotta** do that again..."

"Has anybody seen the time?"

"Oh, bloody lightsabers! I'm late for sparring class!"

"Me too, Alca, c'mon!"

The ensuing scramble led to Alcanar using Liam's green 'saber, Chiara using one of Imaru's white ones, Nûniel holding Chiara's blue lightsaber, Imaru in posession of one of her own and Alcanar's light saber, and so on. In the end, it took little Enya two hours of scrambling to get them all to the right people.

She managed **not **to get to Alcanar and Chiara in time, and landed smack in the middle of a duel.

Alcanar weaved in and out of Liam's nimble attacks, and rolled between the boy's legs, hopping up behind her. Liamresponded by flipping away, aided by the Force. Taking a leaf from Imaru's book, he charged the Jinn twin, stopping short just in tome to force Alcanar into a brief attack attempt. Managing to slip between her hands and her chest, his lightsaber quickly touched her neck.

"Very good, Liam, Alcanar. The next pairing..."

Enya forgot entirely why she was there and watched duels for the rest of the class, until she heard a little whisper in the Force.

_:Oi, Alca, it's me. So what's up? I heard that your class got stuck with Master Rechar. Is she really as borning as they say:_

_:Um, duh.. she stands here and lectures us and then tells us to fight. You should fight her, she keeps trying to give us examples of 'good' posture and whatever. She says you mught be a prodigy but you should still be in our class. She also says we're younglings...:_

_:Yeah, I'll be there in three minutes. Ask her to give you an instruction of a proper duel, against me. Did she say she could defeat me, perchance:_

_:Yep. I'll ask.:_

Walking to the Master, Alcanar bowed and asked,

"Is there a possibility that you could demonstrate a proper duel between yourself and Imaru Anij?"

Looking startled, the Master sighed, but accepted.

"Yes, I would be happy to take her on."

"Glad to hear it, I accept," came a drawling voice.

"Sister!" Alcanar yelled, laughing silently as the entire class jumped.

"Shall we?" 'Maru asked, deliberately taking her saber from Enya and giving Yavie the blue one that she had acciedentially gotten.

* * *

The entire class literally stopped breathing as Imaru closed her eyes, gathering the Force. The Master waited, and with a sharp intake of breath, struck a defensive position as the young girl knelt then bounced forward. Whipping out both 'sabers, Imaru smashed them down at the lone Master, calm strength powering every move. Rechar, the Master, took the offensive then, surprising Imaru with a steady series of attacks that were concentrated at her legs. After blocking them, Imaru cartwheeled forward, landing with a soft thud. Slashing forward, she suddenly Force-grabbed the lightsaber the Master was holding and flipped it across the room after deactivation.

"Yield," the cool-headed child ordered.

"A stunning job, that was" Yoda said from across the room.

"Thank you, Master," Imaru said, accepting the praise and a cup of water before leaving.

* * *

This is my first offering for this month, truly, I apologize! More on the way, but for now, I ogtta get my chores done.

Apologies in the sincerest form. I also need to brush up on Andante for Violin I. Pretty song, annoying key.

So blessed be!

And review.

-Anij Jinn


End file.
